Visiting
Timor-Leste
How to Get Here
Timor-Leste is remote, but getting more accessible all the time.
By Air:
There are daily flights from Darwin, Australia (Qantas and Air North) and Bali, Indonesia (Aero Dili and Citilink); weekly flights from Singapore; weekly flights from Kuala Lumpur (Batik Air); and bi-weekly flights from Xiamen, China (also Aero Dili).
By Land:
For those on a budget, you can also fly to Kupang or Atambua, Indonesia and cross the land border to enter Timor-Leste via Batugade. There are daily air conditioned minibus services linking the capitals of Kupang and Dili via the border crossing near Batugade. It is a long and twisty road, but has beautiful views of the coastline and countryside!
Where to Stay
Dili is a long, skinny city nestled between the mountains and the ocean. Because of its shape, there is no one city ‘center’, but there are areas of town with more going on than others.
We are located in Metiaut, outside of the downtown area along the beach road. The hotels closest to us are Hotel California (400m) and Beachside Hotel (1 km). There is a selection of restaurants in the neighborhood and a microlet which can take you up and down the beach road.
All dive trips include transportation from our office to the dive site, but for hotel pick ups out of the usual route we charge extra (see our current price list for details).
Other main hubs in town include:
Largo Lecidere:
A lively area in the evening for strolls and coconuts along the beach road. Help Timorese youth by staying at ProEma‘s Sunset Inn (and enjoy the best ice cream in Dili), see the current art exhibition at Fundacao Oriente, dine at one of many Portuguese restaurants, or support local artisans at Boneca de Atauro before having a simple coffee at Fatima’s cafe next door.
Avenida de Portugal
Dili Port
The best access point for any trips to Atauro. Pamper yourself at Hotel Timor and enjoy your morning coffee and snack at Cafe Aroma. Or xxperience Maun Cesar’s twist on local flavors at Dilicious Timor, Timor’s best peri-peri sauce at Mike’s Chicken or explore Nepalese flavors at Everest Cafe before walking off dinner with a stroll along the always-bustling seafront promenade.
Timor Plaza
Visas
All nationalities, with exception of Portuguese, Indonesians and EU or Schengen Citizens must obtain a Tourist Visa at the border (by land or through the airport). Visas on Arrival are 30 USD per person and are valid for 30 days, extendable one time in-country for another 30 days. EU and Schengen Citizens do not require visas and are granted 90-day stays on arrival.
Visa extensions
If you renew your visa in-country, it is easiest to do it with an agent to help you with paperwork. There are a lot of ‘brokers’ who may charge unnecessarily high fees for these services so be careful and know your costs up front. You should pay 40 USD to immigration for the new visa and a reasonable fee to the agent for their time and effort (usually around 20 USD). We have agents we work with regularly who we trust and recommend, if you need contact info.
Money & Medical
Coming soon…
Phones & Internet
Coming soon…
Transportation
Coming soon…
Other things to do & Resources
However long you have in Timor-Leste, you won’t risk getting bored. From the reefs to the mountains, there’s an incredible range of terrain to explore!
Check out these useful sources of information for your visit!
Dreamers Dive Academy 