Dili: Timor Leste

By Wombat | February 26th, 2006 | No Comments

Dili, also spelt Díli, Dilli or Dilly, is the capital of East Timor. It lies on the northern coast of Timor island, the easternmost of the Lesser Sunda Islands.

Dili is the chief port and commercial centre for East Timor and also has an airport for use by commercial and military flights.

Always a pleasant, laid back little capital, Dili has sprung to life over the last three years. Although most of the city was destroyed during the militia attacks of 1999, many of the homes and businesses have been rebuilt. Dili still sports a few Portugese accents like the villa-lined beach roads, the former colonial garrison built in 1627 and the church built on the waterfront. But new shops, restaurants and bars are opening up all the time, bringing a new energy and style to a once sleepy city.

The waterfront remains a centre of activity from sawn until late at night. A park separates the beach from the road, with Banyan trees and benches offering an excellent place to cool down in the shade with a coconut to drink!. Fishermen unload all kids of fish, squid and lobsters on the beach, making this one of the best places to find the freshest seafood in Dili.

In the afternoon, join the boys in their daily games of football - an excellent way to meet the local people. Peddlers sell cold drinks, snacks and satay all day and into the evening. The nearby island of Atauro can be reached by charted boat or the new ferry service.

Strongly Roman Catholic, Dili features many churches. A massive statue of Christ on the nearby headland at Cape Fatucama is reminiscent of Rio de Janeiro. From the various stops on the way up to Jesus there are magnificent views of Dili and also the coast stretching to the west. There are good beaches a few kilometers outside of Dili in both directions with snorkeling and diving possible within 15 minutes drive from the main government buildings.

The most popular beach area is the sheltered cove of Areia Branca, also known as Pasir Putih (or white sands in English) just before you get to Jesus.The Santa Cruz Cemetery near Taibesi is also worth visiting. It was here in 1991 that the world was first alerted on a wide scale to the suffering and injustice that the Timorese were experiencing under Indonesian rule.The Xanana Reading Room and Library is an essential stop for visitors to Dili in search of information and advice about East Timor, their video and film library is excellent.

Information: http://www.gov.east-timor.org