Timor-Leste

The eastern half of the island of Timor, Timor-Leste, is a former area of Portuguese trade and influence which Portugal declared a colony in 1702. After the overthrow of Portugal's right-wing dictatorship during the Carnation Revolution in April 1974, the country's significant colonial empire experienced a wave of decolonisation. Portuguese Timor declared itself independent on 28 November 1975. On 6 December, US President Gerald Ford and Secretary of State Henry Kissinger met with Gen. Suharto in Jakarta, where they gave approval for the Indonesian "integration" of East Timor. The next day, Indonesian forces invaded and occupied the country, beginning a disaster of genocidal proportions.

By July 1976 it had been annexed as the province of Timor Timur. During this time, there was some support for Timor to become an Australian state, fearful of Indonesian integration, although the idea was rejected by the Australian government. Over the next two decades, Indonesia integrated the colony, with many significant positions of authority being occupied by Indonesians rather than the indigenous people. An estimated 100,000-250,000 individuals are believed to have been killed during a campaign of "pacification" during this time.

The United Nations supervised a popular referendum on 30 August 1999, in which the people of Timor-Leste voted for independence from Indonesia. After the results were announced, gangs of independence opponents, supported by the Indonesian military, terrorised the population in a civil war that destroyed much of the country's infrastructure. Nevertheless, Indonesia grudgingly accepted the result and withdrew their forces in favour of a United Nations peacekeeping force led by Australia that was sent in to re-establish a civil society and reconstruct the nation.

On 20 May 2002, Timor-Leste was internationally recognized as an independent state under the official name of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste. However, the country is more commonly known as East Timor in English-speaking countries.

Unfortunately, today, unemployment is rampant and one third of the nation's 1.3 million citizens lives in poverty. Other widespread problems include hunger, malnutrition and the deaths of children at the hands of preventable diseases. Timor-Leste suffers from what economists call "the resource curse", due to its dependence on royalties from its offshore gas and oil deposits. The country's "Petroleum Fund" provides for 80% of the government budget, but could run dry by 2030. Development has been uneven, leading to the neglect of infrastructure and education, which are needed to diversity the economy into tourism and agriculture for a more sustainable future. The country also receives foreign aid, particularly from Australia, and has signed up to China's Belt and Road Initiative, which have helped underdeveloped sectors, but have not provided jobs for Timor-Leste's people. By visiting Timor-Leste, tourists stimulate demand for tourism-related businesses, which provides a diverse array of employment opportunities for locals.

"Timor" is derived from timur, meaning 'east' in Malay, and "Leste" is Portuguese for 'east', so the country's name means "east east".

Timor-Leste has a hot and humid tropical climate. November to May is the wet season. The dry season lasts for about 6 months from June to October. The temperatures average 30 °C year round in areas close to sea level, though the weather is far cooler at higher altitudes.

The wet season can damage the roads in Timor-Leste, making travel to remote areas difficult.

Citizens of all Schengen Area countries do not need a visa to stay for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Citizens of Cape Verde, Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand do not need a visa to visit for up to 30 days. Everybody else requires a visa.

Visitors from other countries can obtain a 30-day tourist and business visa on arrival to Timor-Leste at Dili Airport or Dili Seaport by filling in a simple form and paying US$30 in cash. "Visa on arrival" is not available at the land border, and you must have obtained a visa in advance.

There is a poorly publicized government policy that you need at least 2 blank pages in your passport when arriving (the visa on arrival stamp takes up one whole page). It is usually not a problem at immigration, as long as you have one whole blank page; however, airlines have been known to reject people with fewer than 2 blank pages.

Check out the Immigration Department of Timor-Leste, and specifically the link to the Tourist Visa page for details on visa requirements, and for details on how to apply for a "visa application authorisation" (which may be obtained via email before you travel), or how to apply for a visa at an Embassy or Consulate should you want to enter at a land border crossing.

Apart from Tourist & Business Visas, other visas that are available include the Transit Visa, Work Visa, Study Visa, Cultural, Scientific, Sport & Media Visa and Residence Visa.

Tourist Visa requirements as stated by the Immigration Department of Timor-Leste are as follows:

The applicant must:

Demonstrate intention of a genuine visit (as tourist or business trip).

Demonstrate sufficient funds for period of proposed stay (access to US$100 on entry and US$50 for each day).

Demonstrate accommodation arrangements.

Hold a return ticket, or show ability to fund own departure.

Applicants must also be assessed as being of good character and health before they will be granted the visa and/or permitted to enter Timor-Leste.

All foreigners seeking to enter Timor-Leste on a temporary visa are required to have a valid national passport with an expiry date not less than 6 months from the date of entry into Timor-Leste and must have at least one blank page available for Visa stamp.

Where applied for on arrival, the visa will be granted for the duration of stay up to 30 days, and is only valid for single entry. Extension after arrival – US$35 for each extension of 30 days, or US$70 for extension of 60 days. Extension of a tourist visa beyond 30 days requires a sponsor, Timor-Leste citizen or work-permit holder, to complete a Termo de Responsabilidade, guaranteeing your conduct and compliance with Timor-Leste laws for the duration of your stay.

Those who apply in advance for a tourist visa at an Embassy or Consulate, or who apply by email direct to the Immigration Department for a "visa application authorisation" may request a visa allowing up to 90 days stay, with single or multiple entry.

Visitors are advised to hold the necessary amount for the payment of visa fees in U.S. dollars cash upon arrival at the border. There are no ATM or credit card facilities inside the airport or at border posts, hence visitors must have US$30 in cash to pay for their visa.

Presidente Nicolau Lobato International Airport (DIL IATA), formerly known as Comoro Airport, is the main international airport of Dili and is the only international airport in the country.

Dili is served by the following airlines:

Aero Dili flies from Denpasar (daily), Singapore (weekly), Xiamen (weekly), Fuzhou (twice a month), Kuala Lumpur (twice weekly) and Darwin (twice weekly).

Airnorth and Qantas both fly from Darwin

Citilink from Denpasar

Batik Air Malaysia flies from Kuala Lumpur

No airport departure tax is charged.

The main land border crossing with Indonesia is at Mota'ain (or Motain), 115 km (71 mi) west of Dili. The nearest Timor-Leste town is Batugade, 3-4 km away. The nearest Indonesian town of consequence is the West Timorese town of Atambua. There are also land border crossings at Salele (near Suai) on the south coast, and into Oecussi at Bobometo (Napan on the Indonesian side) and Wini on the north-east coast of Oecussi.

As of July 2016 it was not possible for most passport holders to cross the border at Wini: Indonesian and Timor-Leste passport holders could cross the border at this location. However, in August 2015, a new visa waiver rule for passport holders of countries in the Schengen Agreement meant that those travelers can enter Timor-Leste without a visa at any entry point, and travelers at that time reported no problems at the Batugade border point. See the Immigration Department's Tourist Visa link for details on how to apply for a "visa application authorisation" (which may be obtained via email before travel) or how to apply for a visa at an embassy or consulate should you want to enter at a land border crossing.

There are Timor-Leste consulates in Bali and in Kupang where you should be able to purchase visas.

Consulate General Denpasar, ☏ +62 8133 855 8950, +62 812 831 9741.

Consulate Kupang, Jl. Eltari II, Kupang, NTT, ☏ + 62 8133 9367 558, +62 8133 9137 755.

The same problem exists in the other direction. Even though people of many nationalities can get Indonesian visas-on-arrival when flying into Bali or other Indonesian airports, they cannot get them when traveling from Timor-Leste to West Timor by land, and are required to have visas in advance.

However, for those going the other direction, Indonesian visas must be obtained beforehand as there is no VoA (Visa on Arrival) facility at the border. Getting a visa at the Indonesian Embassy in Dili is possible; it takes 3 working days to issue a 30-day tourist visa and it costs US$45. Standard Index B-211 60-day tourist visas seem to be issued on a case-by-case basis and obtaining one is not guaranteed.

Indonesian VoAs and Visa Waiver entries are available at El Tari Airport, and Tenau harbour in Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia for nationals of eligible countries. There are no scheduled flights operating between Dili and Kupang.

There is a direct bus service daily between Dili and Kupang in West Timor, Indonesia. Journey takes 12 hours. There are many land travel minibus services to cater for individuals or groups travel from Dili to Kupang (West Timor) and return. Timor Travel, Paradise Travel, Leste Oeste Travel are few of the minibus companies that provide travel services to several different destinations along the Dili-Kupang route at a very affordable prices.

From Dili, catch a bus to the border (US$3, three hours). Once you get off the bus, go through Timor-Leste customs and immigration, walk across the border into Indonesia, go through Indonesian immigration and catch another bus for your onward journey to Atambua or Kupang.

From Atambua, regular mikrolets (vans) or ojeks (motorcycle taxis) run to the border at Mota'ain Land Border for 15,000-20,000 Indonesian rupiah. Once you cleared immigrations on both sides, you can ask for the bus in the parking lots for a seat to Dili, US$10 per person (as of Dec 2018).

There are no regular international passenger ferries servicing Timor-Leste.

There are regular barge services for vehicles and goods from Darwin in Australia, Surabaya and Bali in Indonesia.

Recreational vessels often visit Dili harbour.

Buses, mostly of the small variety found on remote Indonesian islands, run to most parts of the country and main cities like Dili, Baucau, Maliana, Los Palos and Suai are quite well linked. Indonesian-style bemos (vans), anggunas (light trucks with benches at the back) and mikrolets (minibuses) - legacies from its 24-year rule - run from these cities to nearby villages.

Most departures take place very early in the morning and drivers have a tendency of doing keliling (Indonesian for "going round") where they spend a considerable amount of time combing the streets and scouting for passengers before actually departing.

Fares depend on the rough distance and mode of transport. For example, Dili-Aileu {39 km (24 mi)) by Angguna costs US$2, Dili-Maubisse (65 km (40 mi)) by Angguna is US$4, while Dili-Baucau (123 km (76 mi)) by bus costs US$5. Microlets within Dili and Baucau are 25 centavos per ride.

Although Timor-Leste was once a country that drove on the right when it was a Portuguese colony, ever since the annexation of the country by Indonesia, the country switched and Timor-Leste now drives on the left in right hand drive vehicles, similar to its neighbouring countries.

Taxis are one of the best means of transport in and around Dili. Fares are not very steep (US$1-3) and there are lots of them.

You can rent a vehicle (4WD) in Dili for around $85 a day. However, do be prepared for adventure - besides the tricky roads there is the lack of road signs to contend with. It is possible that you will get so caught up with driving that you miss out the great scenery around you. Most reputable car rental companies offer 24/7 roadside assistance anywhere in the country. If you are out in a remote district, your help, dispatched from Dili, will take a while to arrive.

While in Dili you will need to confine yourself to a speed limit of 40 km/h. On open roads you may rev up and touch 50-60 km/h. Tourists from most other places might find the going slow but that is the maximum speed that can be achieved on Dili roads. The legal limit on open roads is 90 km/h, and 120 km/h on motorways.

Ensure that you are carrying a valid driving license or permit with you. This can be either from your country or you can have it issued in Timor-Leste. Your licence should specify the kind of vehicle you are allowed to drive. Do drive carefully and remember that there is no provision here for third-party motor insurance.

The Oecussi Enclave, Atauro Island and Dili are well connected by ferry. A boat ride to Jaco Island will prove to be a memorable experience. An added attraction here is that the fishermen also cook fish for you on request.

Although there are airports in Baucau, Suai and Oecussi. There is domestic flight between Dili and Oecussi with AeroDili. There are small MAF planes that can be chartered to fly to these destinations, which are normally utilised for medical evacuations.

Tiger Fuel in Dili, rents motorcycles for US$25-35 per day. You can also rent bikes in Dili from a family business, 'Rental Motor Timor-Leste, +670 7409 0999. Motorcycles/scooters are a good way to see the country: you'll be able to travel wherever you want at any time, and will have a rather small responsibility in terms of a bike to park over night. Bungee cords may be purchased from Star Moto in Baucau to fasten your luggage to the bike.

Timor-Leste has some of the best scuba diving in the world, and this is a major draw for tourists with Timor-Leste shore diving becoming known worldwide amongst the diving community. Pristine beaches and coral reefs stand in stark contrast to one of the poorest populations on Earth.

Dili offers the diver some great close dives. Only 5 min from the centre of town is Pertamina Pier. One of Timor-Leste's best dives for critters, octopus and schooling Barracudas.

10 min west of Dili is Dili Rock (east & west). This is one of Timor's most popular dive sites as it acts as the main training dive site. Known for its easy access and great conditions Dili East also offers great opportunities to see Leaf Scorpion fish, Angler fish and Ghost pipe fish.

As you head further west towards Liquica you come to such dive sites as Bubble beach (known for its amazing bubble fields and spectacular deep dive) the gravel pit and Devil ray point.

East of Dili divers can experience shore diving at its best. Easy access along the coast allows divers safe entry to great wall dives. Secret garden, K41, Bob's Rock and Lone Tree are some of the amazing dives that can be done within an hour of Dili. Approximately 40 min east of Dili the diving starts and continues as far as Com some 200 km away.

The variety of dives along this stretch of road is endless yet K41 and shark point are among the favourites of the local divers.

Without a doubt, Atauro Island isTimor-Leste's most pristine diving area. Around the island is a large variety of dives suitable for every level. Visibility is always excellent, and the abundancy of fish life and coral is simply overwhelming.

There are two major diving companies in Dili Freeflow Diving [1] and Dive Timor-Lorosae [2].

Dive Sites of Timor-Leste contains detailed descriptions of all popular dive sites, with links to maps and scuba resources.

Wikimedia Commons has pictures of some of the stunning marine life at marine animals of Timor-Leste.

The U.S. dollar is the legal tender currency in Timor-Leste and all transactions are in dollars. U.S. banknotes issued before 2000 are not accepted. $5, $10 and $20 notes are the most common and useful. They do not need to be in great condition but may be difficult to use if torn - the exception is $1 notes, which get torn and filthy within a few months of arriving in Dili and can be easily spent in that condition (small notes, or coins, are particularly useful for taxis, warungs and street sellers). Don't bring $2 notes (unless you want to bewilder the locals). Timor-Leste has issued its own coins denominated in centavos, which are equal to U.S. cents. U.S. coins are now rarely accepted.

Coins in Timor-Leste come in denominations of 1-, 5-, 10-, 25-, 50-, 100 and 200 centavos. These denominations correspond to U.S. coins and banknotes of equal value (1 centavo (penny), 5 centavos (nickel), 10 centavos (dime), 25 centavos (quarter dollar), 50 centavos (half dollar), 100 centavos ($1 notes and coins) and 200 centavos ($2 notes)).

Several banks and ATMs (all dispensing US banknotes) can be found in Dili, for example in the Timor Plaza shopping mall. Overseas withdrawal fee would be $7 per withdrawal, and maximum amount withdrawn per transaction should be US$300. ANZ used to have the most reliable ATMs for international visitors, but it is no longer operating. The next only option is BNU-Loos24 ATMs, which accept Visa and Plus (no ATMs is working with MasterCard) (as of Dec 2018). In some cases, the ATMs are not compatible with Asian banks; in this case, it is perhaps recommended to bring the approximate amount of money needed in cash with you, as problems with ATMs can jeopardize your travel plan.

Aromatic coffee beans and colourful hand-woven cloth called Tais are the two items that should be on your must-buy list when shopping in Timor-Leste. All convenience stores and even some roadside stalls sell excellent coffee. Just as Scottish clans have specific patterns for their tartans, families in Timor-Leste have Tais in specific patterns and colours.

Roasted coffee beans will be a great gift item. Some countries have strict rules about importing any food item.

Coffee

Timor-Leste coffee is grown organically and tastes fabulous. Coffee was introduced by the Portuguese. The local way of making coffee is to roast the coffee beans until black and aromatic. Low acidity levels ensure the excellent taste of Timor-Leste coffee.

A few of the coffee varieties like robusta have very high levels of caffeine. A late night cuppa might keep you up for hours, which might put you in a fix, as Timor-Leste doesn't have nightlife options outside of Dili.

Be sure to buy your coffee in a traditional market rather than Dili's grocery stores, where the product will often be pre-ground and very stale.

Tais

Tais come in different designs and colours, depending on the region they are from, and they represent a distinct family. In Dili you should visit the Tais market to buy Tais and local silver jewellery. Tais can also be bought from street vendors.

Local Handicrafts

The other items that will interest you are ethnic woodcarvings, batik cloth and embroidered fabrics sporting regional patterns. The ethnic woodcarvings available here are somewhat like the ones you might get in Africa.

Markets

A market can be found in every main town on the island. You may not find the huge array of shops in Timor-Leste that you are accustomed to. These markets, however, cater amply to local needs. The marketplaces give the locals a chance to meet and interact with others on a daily basis. A walk through an Timor-Leste market will help you learn about the local produce of the region. Tourists attract a lot of attention so be prepared to be stared at. Also expect to be overcharged as many tourists before you have paid exorbitant prices willingly.

Fruit on the Dili Waterfront

Along the waterfront, you will find many fruit stalls. These stalls are mostly run by women and are stocked with delicious local fruits. The papayas, mangoes and bananas are really tempting; make it a point to try out any unfamiliar local variety.

Fried fish is a very popular dish, with prawns being considered a delicacy. Curries are a standard dish, with chicken curry topping the list as a favourite.

Coffee is grown organically in Timor-Leste and the level of caffeine in this variety is very high. Those looking for something other than coffee can have beer, which is widely available in both pubs and restaurants.

Bills presented in Timor-Leste restaurants do not have a service charge added to them. If you feel like tipping, recognise that even a 10% tip is a lot of money to a local. In any case, the service is typically so comically bad that you should not be rushing to tip.

Australian Government Travel Advisory

Canadian Government Travel Advice

US Consular Information on Timor Leste

UK Government Travel Advice

There are hospitals in main centres, and clinics in many sub-districts elsewhere but medical care is not up to dealing with sustained or complex medical emergencies. Medical evacuation is often the only option in the case of complex surgery, trauma, or major illness. Travellers are strongly advised not to enter Timor-Leste without some form of medical insurance which will cover medivac by air ambulance, be this travellers insurance from your travel agent or an employer if you are entering for professional reasons.

Dili - Dili National Hospital, in Bidau Santana.

Pante Makassar, Oecussi - in town near the port.

4G signal is widely available in populated areas. Local prepaid SIM cards can be picked up for as little as $1. Data plans are $1 for 24 hours of unlimited data, but since connection speeds are abysmal at all times, it's not such a bargain. Roaming with a foreign SIM card may be a viable option, especially if you have an Indonesian SIM card.

In 2012 the National Numbering Plan (NNP) was changed and all mobile phone numbers now require an additional '7' be added to the front of the number making a total of eight digits. Land lines remain unchanged.

UNPOL Emergency (Police Emergency), ☏ 112, +670 7723 0635 (mobile).

SOS Emergency Medivac, ☏ +61 2 93722468.

Dili National Hospital, ☏ +670 331 1008.

Bombeiros Fire Rescue, ☏ +670 331 2210 (ext 203), +670 332 4019, toll-free: 115.

Timor Ambulance, ☏ +670 7723 6662 (mobile), +670 331 1044.

Dili National Ambulance, Emergency, ☏ +670 331 0541.

UNMIT Telephone Switchboard Nos, ☏ +670 330 4100 (From Timor-Leste), +1 212 963 0099 (From New York). (updated Mar 2025)