By Rental Vehicle
Timor-Leste is an exciting country to explore and there is a lot to see out in the districts. Hiring a vehicle and driver is a great idea if you wish to travel flexibly and in comfort. With an experienced driver you are also more likely to stay on route (many road signs are lacking) and you’ll learn much more.
Part of the adventure is definitely the roads, some of which are notorious with their blind corners and pot-holes. In general the north coast road is in good condition following a major upgrade from the Batugade border to Lospalos in the east, but the roads inland crossing the mountains to the south coast are variable.
Road access to Hato Builico (Mt Ramelau) and Valu (Jaco Island) requires a strong 4WD. While a standard car is fine for Dili and outskirts, hiring a 4WD is still definitely needed for travel further afield.
All companies can organise drivers and this is definitely recommended.
4WD vehicles cost around $120-150 per day to rent. Motorcycles and scooters can also be hired by licensed riders, and cost $30-50 daily.
If your preference is for other aspects of your trip to be organised also, such as accommodation, specialist Dili based tour operators are happy to arrange personalised itineraries – refer to Exploring and Small Group Tours

By Bus (and other public transport)
Ornate, vividly painted buses (usually crowded) provide transport daily on the main routes from Dili to Maliana, Suai, and via Baucau to Viqueque and Lospalos. Schedules and trip times vary depending on the number of stops and road conditions.
Most public transport services leave early in the morning once they have filled up with passengers. Dili’s bus departure points are on the city outskirts – Becora for eastern districts, Taibessi central and southern and Tasi Tolu western.
Rugged routes to more isolated locations from these centres are covered by smaller microlets (mini-buses), bemos (vans) and anggunas (trucks carrying passengers and other belongings on the back) and in some cases ojeks – motorcycle taxis which take pillion passengers.
On Atauro Island getting around usually involves hiring a tuktuk (auto rickshaw) for travel between Beloi and Vila-Maumeta, a 4WD vehicle for accessing Anartutu up in the mountains, or a boat for journeying around the coast.
The small colourful microlets operate on specified set routes around Dili, Baucau and other main towns. In Dili the microlets are numbered and each travels a set route. To get on hail from the roadside and to disembark tap your coin on the metal handrail and the driver will stop.

By Taxi
Taxis are a frequent sight on Dili’s roads – there are lots of them, but operation is primarily limited to daylight hours. City fares vary between $3 and $6 depending on the distance. Flag them down from the roadside or ask your accommodation to organise. From the airport expect to pay at least $15 for a taxi. There is a sign at the airport with the fixed price for each area of Dili.
With the yellow taxis, fares need to be negotiated prior to travel. In contrast the blue taxis (contactable on +670 774 27777) provide a more consistent quality service, use taxi meters and are available in the evenings and early mornings if rung

By Boat
Both Oecusse and Atauro are linked by regular passenger boat services from Dili.
Oecusse is serviced by the Government run, Ramelau ferry which departs Dili Port twice a week (Monday and Thursday) and returns from Pante Macassar the day following. The ferry is usually crowded and the trip takes around 8-12 hours. For ferry tickets visit their office at the Dili Port.
Regular ferries run on Saturdays (Dragon Boat and Success / Nakroma), Tuesdays (Success) and Thursdays (Dragon Boat) between Dili and Beloi on Atauro Island, taking between 1.5 and 3 hours. They leave Dili around 8am, and depart from Beloi around 2pm. A number of the accommodation providers on the island run their own boats for guests, but may be willing to take non-guests if there is space, or if the boat is chartered. The schedule for transport to Atauro Island changes quite frequently so it is best to go online for the latest information. Barry’s Place maintain the most up to date information on the various transport options.
On Atauro Island, boats can be organised between Beloi and other coastal villages, including Adara on the more isolated north coast. When boating keep a look out for whales and dolphins, as sightings are common. Seabirds and flying fish are other highlights.
At the eastern end of Timor-Leste, Jaco Island is reached by small boat from the southern end of Valu Beach (where there is accommodation), which costs $10 per person for a return trip. Pay on your return. The channel between Valu Beach and Jaco Island may look swimmable, but the currents are very strong.

By Aircraft
Timor-Leste is a compact, mountainous country and flying greatly reduces travel time to Atauro Island, Baucau, Lospalos, Maliana, Same, Suai, and Viqueque.
MAF (Mission Aviation Fellowship) provide an important medical evacuation service for the remote areas of Timor-Leste (basically the whole country!). To help fund their operations and provide connections around the country they run a number of scheduled flights (generally 2-3 times a week) to Atauro Island, Baucau, Lospalos, Maliana, Same, Suai, and Viqueque. They have a regular flight schedule and also offer charter flights.
Aero Dili fly to Oé-Cusse from Dili on Mondays and Fridays for $20 each way.
