Backpacking tips for East Timor.

East Timor is a relatively new country and backpacking location. I toured there recently as part of my quest to have visited every country in South East Asia. I found that the country itself has a lot to offer travellers and to use a cliched term, it’s slightly off the beaten path. Here are five sights for sure you must tick off when you’re there.

1. The Jesus Statue, Cape Fatucama

East Timor is a Catholic country and one of their key points of interest is the massive Jesus Statue at Cape Fatucama. It’s only 7 kilometres east of Dili and sits high and proud on a peak at the beautiful Cape Fatucama. One not to be missed – many see it as the national symbol of their country.

Walking up to the Jesus Statue in East Timor

2. Atauro Island Escape the “madness” of the capital city of Dili by heading over to the awesome Atauro Island. This remote island takes about an hour and a half on a boat from Dili and has 4 main villages on it and 8,000 Timorese. Amazing place.

Atauro Island – amazing

3. Dili Cathedral, Dili In a Catholic country you need to check out their awesome Cathedral and the main one in Dili is massive and very popular. It’s near the Mandarin neighbourhood and a short walk.

Dili Cathedral in East Timor

4. East Timor Parliament, Dili In a country that was only formed in 2002, officially, they have a really cool parliament and government buildings. It’s down by the sea front and totally worth a walk around.

The parliament buildings in Dili, East Timor.

5. Santa Cruz Cemetery, Dili A load of people were killed here in a massacre so it’s important to pay your respects.

Santa Cruz Cemetery, Dili.

So when you get to Dili, make sure you head to the East Timor Backpackers to check in and drop your bags off while you head out into the unknown and see all these cool places in a country which is still not fully a backpacker/tourist resort just yet. Safe and happy travels.