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Dili

Last Updated on Friday, 05 March 2010 06:53

Dili is the capital of Timor-Leste. It is mainly a commercial and administrative centre, with a few Portuguese touches such as villa-lined beach roads and the ruins of an old fort built in 1627.

The long stretch of waterfront with the nearby Palácio do Governo, remains a place of commerce and leisure and a focal point for evening and weekend walks . This area is where the Rally participants will come ashore.  A massive statue of Jesus Christ dominates the headland hilltop at Cape Fatucama. The best-known beaches in Dili are in a sheltered cove known as Areia Branca and a wide variety of restaurants and hotels can be found along the foreshore. Ataúro Island, which is visible from the waterfront, is becoming increasingly popular as a sightseeing excursion site. There are a number of good diving sites close to Dili and the Dare War Memorial in the hills close to Dili is also a must-see. 

  • Hotels ranging from basic to 4-star; Hotel Dili and the Turismo Hotel are the two located closest to the anchorage, but there is a large range of hotels to choose from.  Hotel occupancy rates are very high most of the year, so booking ahead is recommended. Click here for a useful website guide to hotels in Timor-Leste
     
  • The ANZ Bank has a branch in Dili. The ANZ ATM takes most cards and is located at the ANZ Bank on Avenida Presidente Nicolau Lobato near the Discovery Inn.  There is also an ANZ ATM inside Tiger Fuels Petrol Station on Comoro Road.   Please note: ATMs in Dili are not always reliable and USD or travellers cheques are highly recommended.
     
  • Internet access at various locations.
     
  • International roaming is available for Telstra or Optus mobiles, but is not always reliable and access to message bank services is limited.  International roaming generally needs to be activated prior to departure.
     
  • Timor Telecom is the key mobile phone provider in Timor-Leste.  You can buy a SIM card and mobile phone credit from hotels and vendors on major intersections.  Please note: Timor Telecom SIM cards may not work in Australian Pre-Paid mobiles.
     
  • Large expatriate population and large UN presence.
     
  • Western-style supermarkets and local traditional markets for all fresh fruit and vegetable needs
     
  • Good local handicraft markets, including the Dili Tais (Ikat/cloth) market located near Hotel Timor
     
  • Fuel supplies from Australia, Indonesia and Singapore.
     
  • From Dili, there are regular flights to Darwin (Airnorth), daily flights to Bali (Merpati) and flights 3 times a week to Singapore (AustAir).
     
  • Many national embassies.  The Australian Embassy in Dili is located on Comoro Road and can be contacted on phone 332 2111.
     
  • Wide range of dining styles and prices. A number of international cuisines can be found, from the traditional Timorese dishes to Portuguese, Italian, Western, Chinese, Thai or Japanese cuisine.
     
  • Great coffee and cold beer. 

    Much of the information on this page is sourced from Timor-Leste's official tourism website.  For more information, please go to www.turismotimorleste.com