Dili, East Timor travel guide and things to do: Nine highlights

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Dili, East Timor travel guide and things to do: Nine highlights

By John Borthwick
Dili: The best time to visit this fascinating destination is during the May to November dry season.

Dili: The best time to visit this fascinating destination is during the May to November dry season.Credit: Jafet Potenzo/MDF

THE ONE BEACH

Dili, capital of East Timor faces the Sunda Sea. Follow its long waterfront boulevard, Avenida de Portugal (plain "Beach Road" to the locals) east from town and you come to popular Areia Branca (White Sand) beach, a lagoon-like cove with good swimming, shade trees and restaurants. See timorleste.tl

THE ONE ICON

The 27m Cristo Rei (Christ the King) statue that dominates Dili's most easterly headland was a 1996 gift from Indonesia, although resistance leader Xanana Gusmao dismissed it as "Jakarta propaganda". Five hundred and seventy steps lead to its platform which offers spectacular sunrise views. Just below the statue sits pristine Dolok Oan beach with excellent reef snorkeling.

THE ONE RESTAURANT

Areia Branca's Beachside Cafe dishes acclaimed breakfasts including its Eggs Atlantica with smoked salmon, while Agora Food Studio trains young Timorese restaurant crews to international standards. Using local ingredients they create unique lunches like banana blossom rendang and knockout sugar-free chocolate desserts, all served with heart-warming care. See timorlestefoodlab.com

THE ONE EXCURSION

Take the 47 kilometre road trip inland to Aileu, heartland of East Timor's coffee culture. The so-called "noodle road" winds up through the hills to farmlands at 1000 metres. Sample the local produce at Projecto Montanha cafe and homestay. On the return trip visit Dare Memorial Museum, which commemorates the heroic support that the people of occupied East Timor gave Australian troops during WWII. See facebook.com/projetomontanha; timorleste.tl/listings/dare-memorial-museum-cafe

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THE ONE ISLAND

Credit: Jafet Potenzo/MDF

The waters off Atuaro Island, a one-hour ride north of Dili, are home to dugong, whales and mantas. The reefs here are cited as among the least explored and most ecologically diverse anywhere. There is also trekking and accommodation in modest eco-lodges, with access by weekly ferry or private charter. See ataurotourism.org

THE ONE MUSEUM

The country endured 230 years of trauma under various Portuguese, Japanese and Indonesian administrations. Among several museums that highlight the endurance of its people is the Timorese Resistance Museum, which depicts their determined repudiation of Indonesian misrule. See amrt-ip.tl

THE ONE COFFEE SHOP

East Timor takes its organic coffee seriously and exports 7500 tonnes a year. At Heydey AR Cafe a pair of world-rated coffee sommeliers oversee some of the most lip-smackin' caffeine shots you'll ever sink. The vital element is the unique, local Arabica-Robusta strain known as Hybrido de Timor — thus the "AR" in the cafe's name. See facebook.com/timorheydayarcoffee

THE ONE HOTEL

Mid-town Timor Plaza is a well-run, international-standard hotel with a range of premium rooms, plus the popular Sky Bar and Panorama restaurant. Meanwhile, Areia Branca's Beachside Hotel has accommodation ranging from bunk rooms to ocean-view studios. Films screened here on Friday and Saturday nights, this being one of the main venues for the annual Dili International Film Festival. See timorplazahotel.com; See beachsidehoteldili.com

THE ONE PAUSE FOR REFLECTION

Santa Cruz Cemetery is a tranquil place to visit these days. In November 1991, however, Indonesian soldiers fired on a peaceful funeral procession there, killing over 250 civilians. The event became pivotal in Timor-Leste's struggle to gain their independence, with the cemetery becoming a site of poignant national significance.

ONE MORE THING

East Timor is a cash economy using US dollars. Bring banknotes in smaller denominations and don't rely on cards. Also, have $US40 ready for your visa-on-arrival; no cards or other currency are accepted. The best time to visit this fascinating destination is during the May to November dry season.

The writer was a guest of The Asia Foundation (New Zealand government aid), Market Development Facility (Australian aid) and Qantas.

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