Tips and recommendations on a trip to East Timor
East Timor – not the safest place in the region. From April 2006, outbreaks of all sorts of political conflicts and civil unrest. Despite the sufficiently successful actions of the international peacekeeping forces, the risk of further escalation of unrest is still quite high. When visiting the country, it is strongly recommended to avoid areas of mass acquisitions of people, sites of various manifestations and assembly. It is not recommended to move around Dili and other major cities at night. Especially it should be avoided by the area of the airport of the capital, camps near the Comoro market and the Bayro-Peit region. It should be extremely careful when visiting the location of refugee camps. In the capital, Bikeke and Baukaau act as various semi-passisan formations and candid gangsters. The greatest danger is crimes related to cars, as well as robbery, often issued for various political shares. In the province, the situation is much calmer, but also the whole complex of reasonable precautions should be observed here. In the border areas, special caution is needed, since there are well-equipped groups of smugglers. They prefer not to face tourists, however, can be fierce resistance in violation of some borders of them "Non-zone land".
It is characteristic that UN staff are not allowed to assist anyone, except for the contingent of the world’s maintenance hull itself. They can stop near the scene of a crime or conflict, causing help on the radio, but they do not directly interfere in the situation and never take anyone on board their vehicles. Consequently, you should not expect assistance from them going beyond their mandate, – this is engaged in the local police.
Electricity
Voltage in the power grid – 220 V, 50 Hz. European type sockets are used, although there are almost all kinds of connectors. Type I is common in buildings built by Australians; Type C is characteristic of Indonesian buildings; Type E (in residential buildings) and F (common in offices, but not in hotels where you can meet the type C). In the supply of electricity there are certain problems, in many areas the light is disconnected several times a day.
Units
Metric measures and weights system.
Tips
Price level
Despite the fact that East Timor is considered the poorest country of the region, the price level is very high here. The transition to the US dollar, a huge influx of UN observers and foreign workers, multiplied by the lack of their own funds and reserves, led to a sharp increase in prices for all goods and services. Local hotels and restaurants are considered one of the most expensive in the region, and the main foods and essential goods are often 3-4 times more expensive than in the same Indonesia. All this makes a visit to East Timor a fairly expensive event.
Budget hotels are requested for their services about $ 15-35 per day, mid-level hotels – $ 35-70, and more high-quality accommodation facilities focused primarily on foreigners – from $ 70 and above. Lunch in a private cafe will cost about $ 6, in a small restaurant – about $ 15, and in the restaurant at the hotel – at $ 20 and above. At the same time, you can find small private pensions, accommodation in which will cost $ 10-25 per day together with breakfast, and with the settlement for 4-5 days you can get additional discounts. Many such institutions have a fairly limited set of amenities, but this picture is characteristic of many places for the placement of Eastern Timor.
Food products are also silence – drinking water (0.5 l) cost $ 0.5-1, Coca-Cola (0.33 l) – $ 1.35-2, beer – from $ 1.35 (Tiger, CAN, 0.33 l) up to $ 1.5-2 (buffalo, lion beer, 0.6 l), cigarettes – $ 1 per pack (La, Sampoerna, Gudang Garam International), whiskey Jim Beam – $ 19-21 (0.75 l), yes and local goods are fairly expensive – for 1 dollar in the city market you can buy one small cake with a piece of fish and vegetables, no more. Thanks to the presence of UN forces, the range of shops and restaurants are very good.
Also, the organization of an active recreation is the rent for a set of dive-equipment is at least $ 25-35 per day plus $ 10-13 for refueling cylinders and $ 40-65 for two-three-hour boats output at sea. Rent a boat for throwing a group to more remote places will cost $ 120-150, although it is possible to get to the island of Atauro and dive directly from the coastal feature. When organizing hiking prices, prices are highly dependent on the route and the original point.
Prices are held at the same level all year round. It is not accepted to bargain in most cases, however, with early booking and long time stays, you can get a discount at the hotel within 10-20%.
Reviews and studies of trips
East Timor – Dumping bottom of Southeast Asia
Frankly, there is only one reason to go to East Timor – +1 to the list of visited countries. There is nothing to look in this country. Colonial architecture and originally it was not enough to read further →
Juan | Spring 2016
About hotels and other things – East Timor, Indonesia, Nepal, Malaysia
Most of the budget options for hotels and guesthouses, where I had to stop or live a few months. Also food, transport, mail and so on useful. Read more →
