About Dili

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 Portuguese 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 all the time, bringing a new energy and style to this once sleepy city.

The waterfront remains a center of activity from dawn till 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 kinds 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.