Walking tour through Dili, the capital city of Timor-Leste

The young country Timor-Leste, or East Timor, is not your standard bucket list destination. Some people have never even heard of it. That’s a pity. The special island of Autauro is a must-visit for hikers and divers. The small town of Baucau shows an intriguing picture of the Portuguese era. In the mountain village of Maubisse you can walk through beautiful nature and enjoy great views. And East Timor has a story to tell. Walking through Dili, the capital city, we dive into the recent history of the country. Museums, churches, cemeteries and a large statue of Jesus tell about the long struggle for the independence of East Timor. Would you like to join us for a day’s walk through Dili?

Walking through Dili

Dili is a small town. About 200,000 people live in the capital of East Timor. Walking through Dili, you’ll learn a lot about the eventful history of the country. Take a good look around: Portuguese-style graffiti, street art and buildings give an impression of what has been going on in Timor in recent decades and before. We start our walk at an important place: Cemitério de Santa Cruz.

Tip: Keep your eyes open! You’ll find the most beautiful things in the most unexpected places.

The Santa Cruz cemetery – 08:00 hrs

We start walking through Dili at the place that has left East Timor’s bloody struggle for independence on the retina of the rest of the world. In 1991, hundreds of Timorese took part in a peaceful demonstration from the Motael Church in Dili to the Santa Cruz cemetery. The parade paid tribute to the deceased freedom fighter Sebastião Gomes, who is buried there. While a thousand unarmed civilians gathered around the grave of Gomes, the Indonesian army surrounded the masses and opened fire. Some 250 East Timorese lost their lives that day.

The British journalist Max Stahl is among the demonstrators and films the violence. He hides the tapes around the statues in the cemetery, picks them up later and smuggles them out of the country. Thanks to his recordings, the international community wakes up and the worldwide resistance against the oppression of East Timor begins.

Take this place in and remember what you see. Your next stop will be the Resistance Museum in Dili, where this black day will be discussed extensively.

The Presidential Palace and the museum – 09:00 hrs

After the Santa Cruz cemetery, it’s time for some more context. What exactly happened here? To find out, visit the Archive & Resistance Museum. But before you go there, you walk past the presidential palace. Although you can’t visit the palace itself, the snow-white Portuguese-style building is worth a shot. Then continue on your way to the museum.

The museum tells you chronologically how East Timor was a Portuguese colony from the 18th century. Even then the inhabitants fought for their independence. They didn’t even get a chance to enjoy it. Just 5 days after the official departure of the Portuguese, Indonesia invades the country. A bloody battle keeps the country in its grip for decades. This museum tells the story of the Indonesian occupation and the resistance against it in an impressive way.

Tip: Take your time for the museum. We spent about 1.5 to 2 hours reading and viewing all the information.

Walk through the park full of students – 11:00

From the museum, you can walk straight into a small park. At the end of the morning, it’s filled with students from the nearby university. They enjoy an early lunch at the many food stalls that see their chance to sell fast and cheap meals. Walk through the scents of local food and enjoy the cosy atmosphere. Have a chat with the youngsters, who love to help you plan your visit to East Timor and are eager to practice their English.

The Motael Church and the Statue of Youth – 12:00 hrs

After the park, you walk in a northerly direction to the Avenue Salazar. There you will walk along the Motael Church, the place where Sebastião Gomes was killed by the Indonesian army. This is also where the protest march began in 1991. The church is therefore of great historical value. At the same time, Portuguese history is clearly reflected in the architecture of the church. Opposite the church is the impressive Statue of Youth. The statue of a dying man held by his friend is immediately recognisable from the footage of the Santa Cruz cemetery massacre.

Walking along the water’s edge – 12:30 am

Continue your walk along the Avenue Salazar with the sea on your right. You pass the Farol, a small green-white lighthouse. This is an ideal place to get a good impression of the coastline of Dili. From the lighthouse, you can see the Cristo Rei, the great statue of Jesus, on top of one of the hills on the outskirts of the city. You look along the harbour, the presidential palace and in the distance, you can see the different beaches. Don’t forget to look out over the sea. In clear weather, you can see Atauro Island.

By now you must be hungry. We set course for lunch. Pay attention during the walk on the Avenida Portugal: you pass several embassies. Take notice of the different architectural styles that the countries have used.

Lunch at the Agora Food Studio – 13:00 hrs

We lunch at Agora Food Studio. That’s not just any restaurant. Here, local young people are trained as full-fledged hospitality professionals and the best baristas. The Australian owner Mark worked for several NGOs in East Timor for many years, until he and his wife started the Agora Food Studio. His employees are ambitious young people who come from poor rural areas. They work hard to learn as much as possible about managing a restaurant. The boys and girls grew up with little perspective. Now they dream of opening their own cafes and restaurants. Here they serve only local dishes, made from ingredients grown by East Timorese farmers.

The Cathedral of Dili – 14:30

After the Agora Food Studio, there is a 45-minute walk to the Chega! Exhibition. Also for this walk: take the city of Dili really in. Walk into a shop now and then and have a chat with curious residents. Along the way, you’ll pass Dili Cathedral, a modern church building with a bell tower. Be sure to take a look inside the cathedral.

Tip for later: If you walk along the busy main road (Avenida Almirante Américo Tomás), you’ll pass Queen Tundriee Restaurant. This simple eatery serves delicious Bangladeshi dishes as well as Indian dosas and curries. Although you are still full because of lunch, this is an excellent option to come back later! Cheap and very tasty.

Lees meer: een ode aan het lekkerste gerecht van India: de dosa

Go to the Chega! Exhibition – 15:00

The Chega! Exhibition has some overlap with the story you have read before in the Resistance Museum. Whereas earlier in the day you mainly read and heard stories, the exhibition in the former Portuguese prison is more visual. Especially because of the preserved prison cells that you can visit. Hundreds of Timorese were imprisoned and tortured here during the Indonesian occupation. In the cells, you can read the testimonies of survivors.

Furthermore, in this museum personal stories are told of men, women and children who survived the war. The Chega Report, compiled by The Timor-Leste Commission for Reception, Truth and Reconciliation (CAVR), is the guideline for the stories. Thousands of militia fighters, army commanders and civilians speak out and reveal the horrific details of the occupation in the five-volume book. If you like, you can view the books in the museum.

Finish walking through Dili at Cristo Rei – 16:30

For a few bucks, we take a taxi to Christo Rei. The second largest Jezus Christ statue in the world (after the famous Cristo Redentor in Brazil) is too far away to walk. Have yourself dropped off at the parking lot. Climb the 500 steps that lead to the 27-meter high image of the Messiah. A special detail is that the statue was erected by the Indonesians in honour of the 20-year rule. The height of the statue is no coincidence. It symbolized Timor-Leste as the 27th province of Indonesia. A painful detail for the residents.

At the spot where you get dropped the taxi, you will see many locals who have just put on their running gear and to exercise in evening sun up the mountain. You shouldn’t feel bad though, you did your part by walking many kilometres during the day. Enjoy the fun of the many groups of sports enthusiasts that pass you on your left and right.

Watch the sunset at Cristo Rei beach – 18:00 hrs

So, walking through Dili has taken its toll. Time for a drink and relaxation. You can do that at the Cristo Rei Beach, near the Beach Side Hotel. Several restaurants and bars have tables and chairs displayed on the beach. Take off your shoes, order an ice-cold beer and enjoy the sand between your toes. A walk through Dili gives food for thought. As the sun slowly sinks into the sea, you’ll have time to digest what you’ve seen and heard today.

Do you want to have dinner nearby? At half an hour’s walk to the city, you’ll find a number of cosy restaurants with sea views. We had a delicious dinner at the Thai and Lebanese restaurant Little Pattaya. Or be dropped off at Queen Tundriee Restaurant for a delicious dosa.

Accommodation tip: Da Terra Hostel

When you’re travelling for a long time, it feels fantastic if a hotel or hostel makes you feel at home. We can assure you that this is the case at Da Terra Hostel in Dili. The Portuguese owner Villa, his Timorese wife and the lovely local ladies (we affectionately call them ‘Villa’s Angels’) make sure that you always feel at home. Book a private room trough their Facebook page (from € 32,-) or a bed in one of the dorms (from € 8,-) at the centrally located Da Terra Hostel. Every night you can join for a delicious dinner (also vegan) for just 5 dollars. And every Thursday evening they organise a movie night, accessible to everyone. Highly recommended!