Oceania
Mountains, coral-rich seas and a young nation on the rise.
Timor-Leste occupies the eastern half of Timor, north of Australia. Dili, the capital, curves along the coast to the hilltop Cristo Rei statue, and Atauro Island offshore has some of the most biodiverse reefs ever surveyed. Inland, Mount Ramelau is a pre-dawn climb to the country's highest point, while Baucau and Jaco Island in the far east are known for their beaches and colonial architecture.
Tourism is small-scale and adventurous: guesthouses, rough mountain roads and warm, curious hospitality. Coffee grown in the hills is excellent, and grilled fish is a staple on the waterfront. Microlets run around Dili, but a 4WD with a driver is the practical way to explore beyond it. May to November is the dry season; December to April brings heavy rain that can close roads.
June, July, August, September.