Motor vehicle
Hiring a vehicle and driver through a tour operator is recommended if wish to travel flexibly and in comfort around Timor-Leste. If you are comfortable driving there are also options to drive yourself by renting a car, motorbike or scooter.
Taxis
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 24-hour blue taxis (contactable on +670 774 7777) provide a more consistent quality service and use taxi meters.
Buses and Microlets
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 for the weste. There are also 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.
Boat & Ferry
Both the enclave of Oecusse and Atauro Island 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.
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.
Domestic Flights
MAF (Mission Aviation Fellowship) provides 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 offers a weekly return flight to Oe-Cusse on Fridays.