- I traveled to Timor-Leste in May and spent four days touring the capital.
- Timor-Leste is one of the least touristed countries in the world.
- Although it's difficult to access and expensive, the untouched coastline makes it worth a visit.
I've traveled to 20 countries in the past two years, and while most of these countries are some of the most popular in the world, from the Maldives to France, it's the lesser known destinations that I've enjoyed the most.
Last month, I traveled to Timor-Leste, a country in the South Pacific that consists of the eastern part of the island of Timor and two smaller islands. The country covers an area of 5,800 square miles, roughly the size of the Bahamas.
Timor-Leste is the 14th least-touristed country in the world and the least-touristed country in Asia, according to a January report from CEOWorld magazine. The report said that around 81,000 tourists are expected to visit Timor-Leste in 2023, just ahead of Chad and Sierra Leone.
The decline in tourism isn't even a direct result of the pandemic: According to Timor's National Statistics Office, only about 80,000 tourists visited the country in 2019. While researching my trip, I had a hard time finding tourist information online, apart from a few short video blogs on YouTube. In the end, I ended up having to learn along the way.
Here are seven things that surprised me about Timor-Leste.
1. It's hard to fly there and even harder to travel.
There are only a handful of airlines that fly to Dili, the capital of Timor-Leste, which has the only international airport. Tourists can only fly to Dili from Bali, Indonesia, and Darwin, Australia. I stayed in Bali for three weeks, so I decided to use Indonesia's low-cost airline Citylink. Dili's airport is small, with only one departure gate and one runway.
There are no ride-hailing services in Timor-Leste. There are a few taxis available to help tourists get around, but they are only found around the airport and in the city center. I ended up meeting a local, Fernando, who gave me a scooter ride around the city. I found the scooter to be the best way to explore the coast and surrounding mountains.
2. There aren't many options when it comes to accommodation.
Hilton is due to open a hotel in Dili's business district later this year, but at the time of my visit, Timor-Leste had no luxury resorts or international hotel chains. Online options were limited, with around 70 domestic hotels and guesthouses listed on Google Hotels. I booked three nights at the Timor Plaza Hotel & Apartments, a three-star hotel next to a small shopping mall in the city center.
From talking to other travelers, we learned that many people stay in local guesthouses along the beach. The guesthouses are usually simple, with a small room equipped with a bed, a mosquito net and a fan. You'll see signs on the roadside indicating whether they have rooms available for the night. As there are very few tourists in the country, there's a good chance you'll be able to negotiate a price and book on the spot.
3. Locals use the US dollar, so prices are higher than in neighboring countries.
The official currency is the US Dollar. Timor-Leste centavos are convertible but are only issued in coins and are pegged to the US Dollar at 100 centavos per dollar. This makes Timor-Leste more expensive than many other countries in Asia.
In Bali, a bowl of nasi goreng, an Indonesian dish of fried rice with satay, costs an average of $3 to $4.50; in Dili, I paid $10 to $15 for a similar dish. In Bali, renting a scooter for a day costs about $3; in Dili, it costs more than five times that amount, $25 to $35.
4. Not everyone speaks the same language.
The official languages of Timor-Leste are Portuguese and Tetum, while the working languages are English and Indonesian, but according to the US State Department, only 13.5 percent of the local population speaks Portuguese.
Most of the locals I met in Dili spoke Tetum and Indonesian, and Timor-Leste is home to at least 16 languages due to its many ethnic groups.
I grew up in Singapore and speak a little Indonesian, so when locals don't speak English, I fall back on that. Our guide, Fernando, said tourists should be careful when conversing in Indonesian. Given the complicated history between the two countries, he noted, some locals might get offended. When in doubt, I found it best to ask which language they prefer to speak.
5. Very few American chains operate in the country.
There are only a handful of American food chains in Timor-Leste, mostly in Dili city center. I found a Burger King and a Gloria Jean's Coffee outlet just outside the hotel where I was staying. There is no McDonald's in Timor-Leste. Being adventurous, I ate all my meals at local eateries and cafes, and tried both Indonesian and Timorese cuisine.
When it comes to toiletries and makeup, there are a few stores that sell American brands like Head & Shoulders and Maybelline, but lesser-known brands are more common and sell for much cheaper.
6. It is one of the most pristine landscapes in the region.
I found Timor-Leste to be one of the most scenic places in Asia.
I spent most of my time at Cristo Rei Beach, on the northern tip of Dili, overlooked by an 88-foot-long statue of Jesus Christ. It's the clearest natural white-sand beach I've ever seen – clearer than even the Maldives. From the shore, I could see the outline of Atauro island, a mountainous region famous for its colorful coral reefs.
After traveling extensively in the region, I found Dili to be the most scenic capital city I had ever seen, with its beautiful coastline surrounded by towering mountains.
7. You won’t find local nightlife online, but you can find it around town.
Google Maps lists only a few local nightlife venues, most of which have no photos, reviews or information, but our guide, Fernando, tells us that locals love to hang out late at night drinking local palm wine and dancing to kizomba, a dance genre that originated in Angola.
I was lucky enough to be in Timor-Leste on National Day, May 20th, the day the country gained independence from Indonesia. To celebrate, thousands of people were partying on the beach and hundreds of motorbikes were racing along the coast. The energy was unexpected and a memorable surprise that I will never forget.
