Things to do in Dili

Best time to visit Dili

• a note or something on   ✦ an occasion worth the trip

• May to October

  Dry season. Calmer seas for Atauro, best diving visibility, cooler nights. When to come.

• November to April

  Wet season. Heavy rain December to February; district roads can flood and the Atauro sea gets rough.

What's on

• Timor-Leste Independence Day 20 May

  The big national celebration.

• Santa Cruz massacre commemoration 12 November

  Solemn national day of remembrance.

• Restoration of Independence Day 28 November

  National holiday with official ceremonies.

Best things to do in Dili

• Cristo Rei

  Free

  27-metre statue; climb the stairs early, swim at the beach below.

• Timorese Resistance Archive & Museum

  $

  Essential museum of the 24-year resistance; allow a full hour.

• Centro Nacional Chega!

  $

  Memorial museum in the old Balide prison; sober and direct.

• Tais Market

  Free

  The market for hand-woven tais textiles; check the weave.

• Santa Cruz Cemetery

  Free

  Memorial of the 1991 massacre; visit respectfully.

• Dare Memorial Museum and Cafe

  $

  Hilltop WWII memorial with views over the city and bay.

• Largo de Lecidere

  Free

  The evening promenade: Dili's social hour at sunset.

• Arte Moris

  Free

  Free art school; visit supports the young artists directly.

Where to stay in Dili

• Waterfront / Lecidere

  First-timers who want the bay and the promenade

• Colmera / central business district

  Work trips near offices and banks

• Meti Aut / Cristo Rei road

  Beach mornings and the statue at sunrise

• Comoro / near the airport

  Early flights, to skip the congested morning ride

Think twice about

• Far west along the Comoro road beyond the airport

  The worst traffic in Dili; you will spend the trip in a car.

• Anywhere promising nightlife

  Dili has no late-night district; evenings centre on hotel restaurants and the waterfront.

• Unlisted rooms with no verifiable reviews

  Supply is thin and quality varies; book established hotels instead.

Best restaurants in Dili

• Castaway Bar and Restaurant

  $$

  Beachfront institution; live music, big menu, Dili's social hub.

• Agora Food Studio

  $$

  Slow Food kitchen on Timorese produce; the city's best lunch.

• Caz Bar & Restaurant

  $

  Grilled seafood on the sand at Areia Branca; go for sunset.

• Rolls N Bowls

  $$

  Pho and hand-rolled rice-paper rolls; the city's best Vietnamese.

• Taibesi Market

  $

  The locals' market; cooked-food stalls at the edges in the morning.

• Linivon Restaurant

  $

  Inexpensive Asian dinner near the waterfront hotels.

• Venture Hotel and Restaurant

  $$

  Reliable hotel restaurant in Lecidere for an easy dinner.

Best coffee in Dili

• Everest Coffee House

  $$

  Nepalese plates plus proper coffee; afternoon into dinner.

Outdoor things to do in Dili

• Atauro Island

  $$

  Boat over for diving, snorkelling and grilled fish at the market.

• Dolok Oan

  Free

  White-sand beach below Cristo Rei; the clearest water near the city.

• Areia Branca

  Free

  City beach with the Caz Bar on the sand; best at sunset.

• Maubisse

  $$

  Highland coffee town two hours south; cooler air, big views.

• Maubara Fort

  $

  Restored Portuguese fort on the west coast; easy half-day.

• Dive Timor Lorosae

  $$$

  Long-running dive operator at the waterfront; book in dry season.

Best hotels in Dili

• Hotel Timor

  $$$

  Historic central hotel; the default business-traveller base.

• Venture Hotel and Restaurant

  $$

  Practical central hotel with its own restaurant.

• D'City Hotel

  $$

  Straightforward mid-range rooms in the business district.

• Beachside Hotel

  $$

  Across from a white-sand beach; walk to Cristo Rei.

• Timor Lodge Hotel

  $$

  Guarded airport compound with pool; best for early flights.

Is Dili expensive? What a day costs

A day of food, drink, sights and getting around, before the room

What to book ahead

• Atauro Island: a few days ahead
• Dive Timor Lorosae: a few days ahead

• Atauro Island accommodation: only a few places; book before going if overnighting.
• Flights in and out: limited services, book early around holidays.
• Dive trips in the dry season: book a day or two ahead.

Is Dili safe?

• Petty theft, bag-snatching and street dogs are the main issues; occasional night disturbances in some areas.
• Do not walk alone late at night; keep valuables out of sight.
• Emergency: 112.

Dili travel tips: tourist traps to skip

• Bring US dollars in cash, in small bills; ATMs are unreliable and cards are patchy.
• Restaurant kitchens often shut by 9pm; eat dinner at a normal hour.
• Imported wine and spirits are expensive; local beer is the sensible order.
• Do not expect a shopping scene; the tais at Tais Market is the souvenir.

Getting around Dili: public transport and more

• Taxis are the default: agree the price before getting in; short rides are a few dollars.
• Mikrolets run set routes for small change by day.
• The waterfront and centre are walkable by day; take a taxi after dark.
• For the districts, hire a car with a driver through your hotel.
• Atauro boats run on varying schedules; confirm the day before.

Who Dili suits

More in Timor-Leste

Every Timor-Leste guide