| There There | ||
 | ||
| Salutation | Kota Dili | |
|---|---|---|
| State | East Timor | |
| Territory | North Coast | |
| Altitude | 11 m a.s.l. | |
| Surface | 48 km² | |
| Inhabitants | 222.323 (2015 census) | |
| Time zone | UTC 9 | |
Position
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There is a city of North coast of East Timor.
To know
Geographical notes
Dili is a maritime city, from which however you can the mountains of East Timor and those of the island of Atauro, the only island of East Timor. Although the country overlooks the sea, it is a predominantly mountainous state.
When to go
Like, moreover, in many tropical areas, in Dili there are two climatic periods: a very humid season and a very dry season. In the first, which runs from May to November, Dili receives essentially no precipitation, while in the other there is a boom of rains and rainy days.
Temperatures range from 25 ° C to 35 ° C all year round. Given the tropical climate, it is advisable to always carry an umbrella or to beat the heat or to shelter from the often frequent and sometimes violent rains
Background
Dili was founded as a Portuguese settlement in 1520 and, in 1769, the capital of the Portuguese colony of East Timor was moved to Dili from the nearby city of Liquica.
During the Second World War, precisely in 1942, Dili, together with the Portuguese colony of East Timor, was occupied by Japanese troops, although Portugal remained neutral during the conflict. The Portuguese regained control of the colony only in September 1945, when Japan surrendered during the Second World War.
Dili declared independence from Portugal in 1945, but only 9 days later the Indonesian occupation forces invaded East Timor, to clear up a possible birth of a communist republic in Southeast Asia. With the occupation, a war of liberation broke out which only ended in 1999, with the end of the Suharto regime in Indonesia and the calling of a UN referendum on independence. However, following the publication of the election results, pro-Indonesian militias devastated Dili between September and October 1999, when the administration of Dili and East Timor moved from Indonesia to the UN. In 2002 East Timor became independent.
How to orient yourself
Dili: full screen map.Although, compared to several European cities (although, of course, Dili is not located in Europe), Dili has fewer attractions to offer to the tourist, they are very far from each other, sometimes even ten kilometers. It is advisable, in addition to organizing with transport, to print a map of Dili and mark all the attractions to visit where they are located exactly on a geographical map.
Unfortunately, Dili does not have a tourist office, so it is necessary to fully organize the trip before departure, also due to the limited availability of the Internet network and, therefore, to find tourist information online.
How to get
By plane
You can reach Dili by plane via 1 Presidente Nicolau Lobato International Airport. However, due to the low importance of East Timor and the excessive distances, there are no direct flights from Europe to Dili and, if you want to reach the Timorese capital by plane, you have to stop or Denpasar (an island close to that of Java, Indonesia) or Singapore.
By car
If, after making several domestic flights in Indonesia, you want to visit Dili and / or East Timor, you can book a flight to2 El Tari airport and, either by taking a taxi for € 100/130 or by hiring a car, you can arrive in Dili after 9 hours of road travel.
Being a maritime city, Dili has a port, but is reserved almost exclusively for cargo ships. The nearest port is that of 3 Atapupu, Indonesia which offers destinations with several Indonesian cities and islands. From Atapupu with a taxi or a rented car you can reach Dili in 2 hours.
How to get around
By public transport
Dili, as in many European and Asian cities, can be visited on foot. However, if you want to use public transport to visit the city, you can refer to the company Fly Bus offering transfers from Dili Airport directly to your hotel or day tours around the Timorese capital. Many tourists, to travel around the city, use it instead of taxis, which are often out of order, and many customers are satisfied with the service received by Fly Bus.
By taxi
As already stated, taxis are often out of service for tourists and, in general, for the Timorese themselves. However, it's not that rare to see taxis running on the street in Dili. In East Timor, taxis can be identified since they are completely painted yellow or, for the blind, they can also be identified by the deafening music that taxi drivers hear as they transport their customers to Dili. Taxis, however, become inconvenient after 6:00 PM local time.
What see
Unfortunately, most of the attractions that existed before East Timor became independent were destroyed by the Indonesian militias who set fire to the city in 1999. However, there are still several attractions to visit, as well as various activities to enjoy. in or near Dili. Here are some attractions to see:
- 1 Cristo Rei of Dili. Inaugurated in 1996 on the 20th anniversary of the birth of the now defunct Indonesian province of Timor Timur, the statue, sometimes described as an imitation of Rio de Janeiro's Christ the Redeemer, is Dili's most popular attraction.
- 2 Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Rua dos Martires de Patria. Built in the four-year period 1984-1988, inaugurated in the last year of construction and blessed by Pope John Paul II in 1984, it is the largest and most popular church in the Timorese capital. During the month it can hold up to 2,000 people.
- Although it is a very popular attraction with visitors to Dili, it is often closed for visits to the public.
- 3 [link previously not working]Timorese Resistance Museum. It is an excellent museum that demonstrates the FALINTIL armed resistance campaign against the fascist regime of Suharto and the Indonesian occupation. The museum shows the history of the resistance campaign year by year and the resistance tools used by FALINTIL to fight Indonesian troops. Many tourists who have previously visited Dili recommend going there.
- 4 Palace of the Presidency of the Republic, Avenida Almirante Americo Thomas, ☎ 670 3339999, @[email protected]. It is the official seat of the President of the Republic of East Timor. His name, Palacio Presidencial Nicolau Lobato, commemorates one of the fallen heroes of East Timor's independence during the years of Indonesian occupation, Nicolau dos Reis Lobato. The palace is not open to the public, however it can be seen from the outside. It is a very recently built presidential palace, since it was only inaugurated in 2009.
- 5 Tasitolu. It is a protected area on the outskirts of Dili, 5 kilometers from the center. During our winter (which in East Timor would correspond to their summer) we can witness several birds arriving in this place after having migrated from the cold winter to Russia. There are, however, man-made attractions here, such as a monument to John Paul II, who repeatedly incited the Timorese to become independent of Indonesia, or a church built by the tetum, the indigenous people of East Timor.
- 6 [link not working]Dare War Victims Museum, ☎ 670 77321288, @[email protected]. It too is an attraction located on the outskirts of Dili. Built in 1969 during the Portuguese colonial regime, it commemorates the Australians who died during guerrilla operations against the Japanese, in which the Indonesians and Timorese also took part. There is also a café-bar in the museum / cemetery in case you need to cool off during your visit.
- 7 Comarca ex-prison, Estrada de Balide. Structure probably damaged by the devastation caused by the pro-Indonesian militias after the UN referendum on the independence of East Timor in 1999, it was, for 23 years from 1975 to 1998, a detention center for political dissidents and separatists, before it became a museum in 2001 at the request of the East Timor Truth and Reconciliation Council. Timorese authorities sometimes organize exhibitions in the facility about the time when East Timor was called Timor Timur.
- 8 Santa Cruz Cemetery, Rua de Santa Cruz. It is a cemetery dedicated exclusively to the victims of the Santa Cruz Massacre in Dili in 1991 when the Indonesian occupation force present in Dili fired on a group of demonstrators killing at least 250 demonstrators. The cemetery is recommended by many tourists who come to the Timorese capital every year and several tour groups organize a stop in the cemetery, even if they do not physically enter it.
- 9 Moris Art Gallery, Avenida Presidente Nicolau Lobato, ☎ 670 7723 3507. It is a place of art, as the name suggests, located just before the estuary estuary of the Rio Comoro river, where you can see works of art produced by students of various art schools in Dili. Sometimes it also acts as a shop, being able to buy some works exhibited at this museum. The art on display is of a surrealist type.
- 10 Governament Palace.
unknown. 
8:00-17:00. It is the administrative center of East Timor. Built in the Portuguese colonial era, it dominates, with its grandeur, part of the Dili waterfront. It is possible to visit the palace, although the price of the visit is unknown. - 11 Cristo Rei beach. For those who love the beach and the tropics, Cristo Rei beach is the perfect place. Located a short distance from the Cristo Dei di Dili, on the beach there are large coconut palms even a few tens of meters high in addition to the fact that around the beach there is a lot of tropical vegetation. Obviously, since the beach is located very close to the tropics, you have to pay close attention to UV radiation.
- 12 One dollar beach. In spite of the name, the beach is absolutely free, as indeed all the beaches of East Timor. The beach is whitish and very soft, as well as being very clean. In case you are lucky, you can also see dolphins sailing in the surrounding sea. There are no tropical symbols like coconut palms or mangroves. The beach is quite far from Dili, about 45 minutes by taxi or car.
unknown. 
8:00-17:00. It is the administrative center of East Timor. Built in the Portuguese colonial era, it dominates, with its grandeur, part of the Dili waterfront. It is possible to visit the palace, although the price of the visit is unknown.Events and parties
What to do
Since Dili is located in the tropics and precisely along the sea, it is also the destination for tourists who want to admire the tropical coral reefs as well as the underwater flora. However, there are other activities to do in Dili, even if they are always linked to the sea
- 1 Aquatica Dive Resort. Structure where a team specialized in diving is located, several tourists who visit East Timor and Dili have practiced diving in the Timorese capital thanks to this company. The staff are friendly as well as experienced and experienced in underwater diving. The business also offers food to its customers after diving
- 2 Adrenaline Timor, ☎ 67 077 089 610, @[email protected]. An activity that allows tourists, upon request via e-mail to participate in the activity, to navigate, by motor boat or water skis, the seafront of Dili and to see the Timorese maritime fauna.
- 3 Dive Timor Leste, ☎ 670 7723 7092, @[email protected]. 8:00-21:00. It is a resort run by Australians that nevertheless offers its customers the opportunity, together with the managers, to dive and dive close to the coral reefs of Dili and, in general, of East Timor. Guests of this facility almost always participate to the activities of this hotel and, during the activities, they are always amazed.
- 4 [link not working]Dive, Trek & Camp East Timor, ☎ 670 7725 1289, @[email protected]. It is an agency that organizes, in one day or several days, tours in the various cities of East Timor or in the nature of the youngest state in Asia or even diving (always close to coral reefs) or by boat circumnavigating the Timorese coasts. As you can guess, the variety of proposed activities is wide and this activity deserves to be considered if you want, in addition to Dili, to visit other places of Timor Lorosae
Shopping
Compared to other locations, Dili has few shopping centers, partly due to its size, but also due to the fact that poverty remains extreme in Dili and, therefore, many Timorese cannot afford to buy many things. In any case, there are several shops where you can buy everything, such as in supermarkets.
Some shops in Dili are:
- 1 Timor Plaza, Av. Pres. Nicolau Lobato Díli East Timor, ☎ 670 331 6688. 6:00-22:00. The most important commercial center of Dili. Important area of the Timorese capital where there is the highest development of commercial, social and cultural activities in East Timor. In the shop you can eat in one of the different restaurants, sleep in the hotel located on the top floor of the shop building and sometimes there are also musical concerts.
- 2 Compass Adventure Tours, Tiger Fuel., Av. Pres. Nicolau Lobato, Díli, Timor Leste, ☎ 670 7723 0965, @[email protected]. It is a shop equipped for diving items. Very close to the Palazzo della Presididenza della Repubblica, the shop also offers the possibility to book various diving lessons depending on the experience you want to have. For example, there are diving tours to go deep into the coast surrounding Dili or diving courses to visit the coral reefs surrounding the coast of the Timorese capital.
- 3 Tais market, Nr.D'Luis Dos Reis Noronna - Kolmera, Dili, East Timor. It is a seasonal market present at a roundabout in Dili. In this market you can see various Timorese women sewing local garments and, soon after, buying them. In this place it is also possible to buy souvenirs, jewelry and bags. Tourists who visit this market in Dili are very satisfied.
How to have fun
Night clubs
There is not a great variety of nightclubs in Dili, because the Timorese do not like to have fun with western music in the evening, even for the people of East Timor it is still closely linked to local traditions. In any case there are some night clubs where to have fun
- 1 Tower Bar, ☎ 670 7725 4815. Located on the Street dedicated to the East Timorese independence fighter Nicolau Lobato. The place is open all day but for parties, disco music and shows you have to wait until the evening. It is very popular with the Timorese, even if some say that in the evening there are people having sex publicly in the club
- 2 [link not working]Club88, ☎ 670 7725 4815. 21:00 - 5:00. Located very close to the Timor hotel, it is a restaurant which, however, acts as a disco in the evening from 21:00 until 5:00 in the morning. Every Friday various parties are organized with the offer of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. Tourists like this place a lot
Where to eat
As you can guess, most of the restaurants in Dili specialize in Timorese cuisine. This cuisine is the result of a melting pot of various cultures from all over the world: in fact it is possible to find Australian, Chinese or Portuguese culinary elements in Timorese dishes.
In the Timorese cuisine we can find different varieties of beans, fish and goats of which, of the latter there are many varieties to Timor-LesteAlso due to the poverty of the Timorese people, the prices of the restaurants are quite cheap, even if there is no lack of eateries reserved mainly for entrepreneurs and which therefore cost quite a lot.
Moderate prices
- 1 Thai restaurant, ☎ 670 77332399. 3/11 €. Thai restaurant with people of Thailand. Several tourists who have been to Dili highly recommend it, although some restaurant services may cost quite a bit
- 2 Kathy's Cafe, ☎ 670 77549681. 4/9 €. It is a bar specializing in breakfast and products made with chocolate. It is one of the best specialized catering establishments in Dili, most of the bar patrons are very satisfied with the service received.
- 3 [link not working]Cafe Wesa'e, ☎ 670 77587630. 3/8 €. 8:00-17:00. Bar, specialized not only in breakfast, but also in vegan / vegetarian lunch and Timorese cuisine. Most of the customers are satisfied with the service of the Bar-restaurant, but there were also those who received a bad experience.
- 4 De Mora. 5/12 €. Bar-restaurant specializing in local cuisine and run by two Timorese sisters who are fluent in four languages: Indonesian, English, Tetum and Portuguese. Tourists who have been to this place describe it as a relaxing place. In the room there is a wi-fi connection.
- 5 Diya restaurant, ☎ (670) 331 1111. One of the best restaurants in Dili, quite located at the Discovery Inn hotel. The cuisine is international and there are also delights of Italian cuisine, in addition to the fact that the restaurant also serves, to guests, a card with the wines available in the restaurants. The restaurant is also well maintained.
Average prices
- 6 Food L Do Goumet Deli, ☎ 670 7732 6262. 5/45 €. 6:00-23:00. It is a restaurant reserved mainly for entrepreneurs. You can go here for breakfast, lunch or dinner. The dishes of the restaurant can be both local and international cuisine. The staff is generally punctual in serving orders.
- 7 Golden Star, Avenida Liberdade de Imprensa, Dili 0000, East Timor, ☎ 670 723 3838. 9/14 €. It is a restaurant in Chinese cuisine and, in general, in that of East Asia, although sometimes dishes from the tetum culture cannot be missing from the menu. The restaurant staff are friendly and polite, and most guests at the property say the food served is tasty.
- 8 Windmill Bistro and Restaurant, On a coastal road to Cristo Rei, ☎ 670 723 3838. 5/18 €. 11:00-15:00. It too is a restaurant specializing in Chinese (Cantonese) cuisine. Most travelers who have eaten at this establishment describe it as a romantic restaurant, although the cuisine, while good, isn't terrific.
- 9 DiZa, On a coastal road to Cristo Rei, ☎ 670 7808 9877. Due to its seaside location and captivating food, DiZa is considered by tourists to be the best restaurant in the Timorese capital. The restaurant's cuisine prepares dishes from all over the world, from culinary delights from the former Portuguese colonizer to Indian ones. There is also a wide choice of wines.
Where stay
Poverty in East Timor and Dili is also felt in the accommodation facilities of the almost enclave state of Indonesia. The facilities, at times, are lacking or the hygiene of the rooms is very bad. Despite this, the services offered by the various tourist accommodation facilities are comparable to those of various hotels in different European cities.
Moderate prices
- 1 Venture Hotel, Avenida dos Direitos Humanos, ☎ 670 332 3760. It is one of the best low-cost hotels in Dili and offers rooms with either a single bed or a double bed. The accommodation offers an excellent restaurant with a swimming pool to cool off with a little dip in the water after walking a long time along the streets of the sultry Dili. The hotel is located in the Bidau Lecidere neighborhood, an excellent place as there are so many restaurants and places for fun here.
- 2 Dili Beach Hotel, Avenida de Portugal. It is a decent but cheap hotel in Dili where there are several services. The rooms are well kept and clean with a television and wi-fi connection, although not very fast. There is also a mini bar (which is quite rare in Dili's hotel rooms) and a swimming pool to cool off.
Average prices
- 3 Esplanada Hotel, @[email protected]. It is considered the best hotel in Dili. The hotel staff are friendly and polite, making people feel protected in the facility they run. Hotel amenities include a restaurant, swimming pool, free parking, bar, Wi-Fi connection and breakfast included in the price of the stay.
- 4 Discovery Inn, 84 Rua 30 de Agosto, Dili, East Timor, ☎ 670 331 1111, fax: 670 332 1045, @[email protected]. 94/104 €. It is the second most popular hotel in Dili. Hotel amenities include an on-site restaurant, lounge, in-room air conditioning and mini-bar, free wi-fi, laundry, and a transport service to Dili Airport. The room is generally well maintained and clean. Those who have been to this establishment have a good opinion of it.
- 5 Timor Plaza Hotel, Level 5, Timor PLaza. 83/140 €. This hotel is more unique than rare since it is located on the top floor of the Timor Plaza shopping center and, despite the fact that it is located on a shopping center, it is well stocked with rooms. Hotel amenities include a fitness center, restaurant, free underground parking and breakfast included in the hotel price. The former guests of this structure are satisfied with the services received.
- 6 Timor Plaza Hotel, Rua Aimutin, Dili, East Timor. 86/99 €. It is a resort not far from the sea and the mouth of the Rio Comoro estuary, one of the few rivers on the island of Timor. The services offered are a spacious swimming pool, a restaurant and a fitness center for your well-being. The accommodation is generally well appreciated by tourists, even if there are some complaints.
- 7 Timor hotels, Rua Mártires da Pátria, Apartado 334 Dili Timor-Leste, ☎ 670 332 4502, fax: 670 332 4502, @[email protected]. 76/80 €. Located very close to the port of Dili, it is also used by participants in the UN missions in Dili to stay there. Like many other hotels in Dili, it offers a swimming pool, restaurant and lounge, as well as in-room air conditioning and a minibar (of course, the latter for a fee).
- 8 Timor hotels, 56 Rua Dos Direitos Humanos, ☎ 670 7350 6279. 33/61 €. A lower-middle-range hotel but with different services. In fact, the hotel offers a restaurant, lounge, microwave (very rare to find in Timorese hotels), dry cleaning, meeting room, laundry service and a concierge. Even if it is not comparable to certain European standards, the reception structure pleases tourists.
Safety
East Timor after independence is a stable country, but every now and then there may be some skirmishes between paramilitary forces linked to political factions or some coup d'état, as happened in 2008.
Unfortunately, East Timor remains the third poorest country in Asia after Pakistan and Afghanistan, which also means frequent delinquency both in Dili and in the rest of East Timor.
Illegal actions such as pickpocketing, car piracy and assaults of various kinds occur quite often in Dili. It is therefore advisable to be discreet when driving on the streets of Dili, even if the crimes happen almost exclusively against fellow countrymen.
Some places that could be useful for your safety in Dili:
- 4 Headquarters of the East Timor Police
- 5 National hospital
 | ATTENTION: Medical facilities in Dili, as indeed in the rest of the underdeveloped countries, are lacking. It is therefore advisable to take out an international insurance policy that provides for the transfer to Australia or the return home if symptoms of a serious illness are accused. |
It is however recommended, during the trip, in case you are able to get a Wi-Fi connection, to follow the site of Travel Safe, an excellent point of reference for Italians abroad
How to keep in touch
Post office
In spite of most of the countries of the world, there are no postal codes in East Timor, which causes the fact that all paper postal messages arriving in East Timor are stored in the6 Dili Post Office until they are withdrawn.The site of the East Timor Postal Service is the following[link not working]. Shipping and receiving mail in East Timor can be done by purchasing a card (the so-called PO BOX) which costs about 50 US dollars a year.
Internet
Not all accommodation facilities have a modem that allows you to provide wi-fi to their customers, but some structures have a wi-fi modem. Some restaurants and bars also have wi-fi modems. To find out which dining places have wi-fi access, consult this guide in the "Where to eat" section.
Around
The devastation caused by the pro-Indonesian militias in 1999 left few attractions to visit around East Timor.However, here is a list of a few cities in and around Timor Leste that you can visit in the case of a holiday in Dili:
- Liquica - it is a small town 1 hour by road from Dili. It is possible, here, to visit the Ai Pelo prison, an old Portuguese prison used for two centuries and which is now in decline.
- Darwin - If you have two days to spare in Dili, Darwin could be an optimal excursion. Reachable by plane in an hour, Darwin offers a varied series of spectacular artificial or natural attractions. Some attractions are, for example, the Defense of Darwin Experience, a Darwin museum about the Second World War in the Australian city or the termite skyscrapers, where you can see blocks of termites lined up in a park.
- Denpasar - a destination that can be visited in the day through multiple connections with Denpasar airport. Several daily tours are organized on the island to visit various attractions of the island. There may be boat or bicycle tours, for example. It is an interesting destination if you are bored of the city of Dili.
