Dili’s sights are easiest to sort by where they sit. A few lie close to the port, a few are a short drive out, and a separate group asks for a different frame of mind. This guide follows that order. Near the port Motael Church stands beside the port. Guides call it the oldest church in the country, and it has close ties to the independence movement. The present building dates from 1955.

Dili will not offer a luxury honeymoon, and it does not pretend to. A romantic break here is made of simple pleasures: sunsets, a good dinner, a boat trip and a night or two on a small island. Two evenings in the capital and a stay on Atauro make a balanced plan. First evening: sunset at Areia Branca Areia Branca, or White Sands, is the beach the official tourism site recommends for sunset drinks, on the coast road east of the centre.

Longer trips from Dili come in three kinds. One goes by sea to Atauro Island, one goes by road to the far east, and one climbs to Mount Ramelau. The table shows how they compare, and the sections below explain each. Trip Nights Getting there Suits Atauro Island 2 or more Public ferry, US$4 or US$5 Divers, snorkellers, quiet stays Lautem and Jaco Island 2 or more Road, 231 km to Tutuala Overland travellers Mount Ramelau 1 Via Hatobuilico Hikers Atauro Island Staying overnight gives you the time that a day trip lacks.

Dili suits families who like to be outdoors and are comfortable with a little improvising. It has few attractions made for children, and its mainland beaches carry a crocodile warning, so the usual seaside afternoon is off the list. What remains is good: a famous staircase, a colourful market, a hill village with a view and, for older swimmers, reefs on Atauro Island. Toddlers and pre-schoolers The best outing is the hill village of Dare, roughly 10 to 15 km inland.

These four outings suit a single day, listed from easiest to most demanding. Anything beyond them, such as Jaco Island or Mount Ramelau, needs overnight planning. 1. Cristo Rei and Dolok Oan, half a day Cape Fatucama is about 7 km from the city centre, which makes the 27 m copper statue the quickest trip out. From the car park at Cristo Rei Beach the staircase has about 570 steps and passes Fourteen Stations of the Cross.

Organised attractions in Dili come down to four things: guides at two museums, whale and dolphin boats, dive-operator trips across to Atauro Island and the public ferry. The list is short, and nothing here resembles a big-city tour programme. Contact each provider directly, in person or by phone. Museum guides At the Chega! Exhibition, in the former Comarca Balide prison, guided tours can be arranged at the centre. The listed phone number is +670 331 0465.

Three days is enough to see the best of Dili if you match the plan to the timetable. The ferry to Atauro Island sails only on certain days, and the two museums that record the 1975 to 1999 occupation keep weekday hours, so build the days around them. Tuesday to Thursday suits the plan below. Money is simple: the US dollar is legal tender, with Timorese centavo coins for change. Cash dominates and card use is limited, so keep a stock of small notes.