Despite East Timor being one of the worlds poorest countries, its rich offerings

will satisfy even the most intrepid of adventurers. Joanna Mayhew visits a land of
stunning islands, pristine beaches and a just-healthy-enough dose of danger.
Saltwater crocodiles, sharks,
broken roads, turbulent seas,
stone-throwing youths and
countless tetchy roosters are just
some of the factors to consider
when visiting East Timor. Yet
the countrys untouched natural
beauty rivals anywhere in the
region, and its isolation and
serenity are well worth braving
the elements for.
Having achieving
independence in 2002, Asias
youngest country is making
gradual development gains after
a tumultuous history marked by
Portuguese colonisation from
the 1500s until 1975, followed
by decades of oppressive
Indonesian occupation, during
which violence, famine and
disease are estimated to have
resulted in at least 100,000
Timorese deaths.
The scars of its brutal past
are still highly visible in the
countrys burnt-out buildings,
countless memorial sites and
cemeteries crowded with pastel-
coloured graves. Each Timorese
traveller I encountered offered
his or her own stories of recent
and raw loss.
Anewly established
democracy and security has
brought renewed efforts
in reconstruction and
diversifcation of the oil-
dependent economy through
agriculture and tourism.
Though travel-related costs
remain high, Timor is attracting
increasingly more plucky
tourists by the year and for
good reason.
Dili
Atrip to Timor will
inevitably start in its capital,
Dili. Situated on the northern
coast, the city stretches
between a 27-metre-high
statue of Jesus and a six-metre
effgy of Pope John Paul II.
Painfully slow traffc snakes
past an impressive waterfront
lined with bright colonial-
era government buildings,
towering churches and
plentiful restaurants offering
ocean views and fresh seafood.
The sprawling, dusty city
also houses a well-designed
Resistance Museum that
provides a comprehensive
outline of the countrys history.
With admission at $1, it will
certainly be the cheapest outing
youll have in Timor. Agood
place to decompress afterwards
is the nearby Hotel Timor,
where you can taste famous
Portuguese-style custard tarts
and sip the local premium coffee.
With 200,000 inhabitants, the
citys population is relatively
small, and its cockerel populace
seems in danger of taking over.
Cockfghting is a popular sport
for men, whose roosters garner
bets of up to $1,000. The highly
prized possessions are seen
everywhere being cuddled by
adoring owners.
The Tetum-speaking locals
are mostly friendly and
interested in visitors, and as
with most countries grow
increasingly so the further you
escape the capital. But rock-
throwing incidents have been
a part of the citys violent past,
and remnants of this expression
of discontent still exist. My
hosts in the city fall asleep daily
to the pinging of stones on
their roof due to a neighbours
on-going dispute with their
landlord, while friends training
for the annual Tour de Timor
bike race have had these pesky
objects tossed in their direction
by idle youth.
Coastal Route
The ultimate highlight of
visiting Timor is uninhabited
Jaco Island, located off the
easternmost point of the
country. The Timorese consider
the island sacred and are
forbidden from entering it. This
means that the white beaches,
dazzling turquoise waters and
untouched coral are deserted.
But the blissful tranquillity of
Jaco is all the more rewarding
for having survived the
arduous trip to get there.
The distance between
Dili and Jaco is only 200
kilometres, but travel is best
spread over two days thanks
to the disrepair of roads. The
trip only manageable in a
four-wheel drive takes you
through winding roads and
up steep hills that follow the
spectacular jagged coastline.
Crumbling forts and stylish
pousadas from the Portuguese
era dot the countryside.
Vendors offering traditional
one-handled bote baskets,
fsh-on-a-stick, woven mats
and sarong-style tais are spread
out on the desolate road just
sporadically enough to keep
you interested.
En route is Baucau, a small
but bustling hub perched
360 metres above the sea.
Winding your way down to
the coast from the famous
pink-coloured Pousada de
Baucau hotel, you fnd empty
beaches in tucked-away coves.
But the towns highlight is
the freshwater spring-fed
piscina, a Portuguese relic that
looks exactly as it must have
in the 1950s. The pool evokes
images of years long gone
when the town used to be a top
honeymoon destination.
Further along, the small port
town of Com offers a variety
of family-run guesthouses.
Despite being coined as the
closest thing to a backpacker
beach spot by the countrys
frst Lonely Planet guide, the
deserted town seems to spring
desperately to life at the sight
of visitors. Teenagers toting
decorative shells and turtle
shell jewellery trail visitors
down the towns lone main
road hoping for a sale.
But beware encouragement
by local hotel owners to take
advantage of the coastal
swimming at your doorstep: I
spotted a crocodile swimming
close to shore, eager for
fshermens daily scraps.
Timorese have strong cultural
ties to these reptiles, so efforts to
manage the growing population
in the crocodile-shaped country
remain controversial.
The Final Stretch
The fnal two-hour stretch to
Jaco provides the best peek into
daily Timorese life. Despite the
strong Catholic infuence, shell-
adorned animistic spirit houses
line manicured green lawns.
Houses teeter on the edges of
craggy hills and goats and pigs
crisscross potholed paths. The
pinnacle, however, is the fnal
eight-kilometre descent to the
easternmost shore. The short
distance takes an hour over
rocky, slippery slopes replete
with mud traps. The faint of
heart can make the trek on foot.
I found myself considering turn-
ing back to Dili, but all thoughts
of sudden death-by-rolling van-
ished upon arrival at the sea.
Local residents cart tourists
by boat the fnal fve minutes
to the immaculate island,
where the journey thankfully
ends. The rewards include
unparalleled snorkelling in
crystal clear waters and fresh
fsh caught upon request from
local fshermen. The paradise
of Jaco is certainly worth every
one of the bumps along the
road. That is, as long as you can
ignore the sharks being fshed
out of the water.
Notwithstanding the
potential predatory swimming
companions and daily rooster
wake-up calls, ten days in
Timor only left me wanting
more. With tourism at its
infancy, you should make the
trip now. Pack for adventure,
allow time for the unexpected,
and head to experience the rare
treasures of Timor. After all, the
crowds of Bali less than two
hours away by plane wont
be far behind.
Timors
Trials & Treasures
But beware
encouragement
by local hotel
owners to take
advantage of the
coastal swimming
at your doorstep: I
spotted a crocodile
swimming close
to shore, eager for
fshermens daily
scraps.
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