September–October 2015 93OU T BACK
TR AVEL & DESTINATIONS, YOUR SOCIETY, YOUR AG
CHRISSIE GOLDRICK/AUSTRALIAN GEOGRAPHIC; ANGELO ANDREAS ZINNA / ALAMY; TONY WHEELER / GETTY
130
REWIND
Life’s hard work on one of our
biggest cattle stations.129
FROM THE FIELD
Go behind the scenes with our writers,
photographers and fi lmmakers.104
LAT/LONG
Join revellers for a weekend of polo on
Broome’s famed Cable Beach.Northern neighbour
A place of undiscovered culture and natural wilderness.
I
T’S GETTING HARDER and harder to
fi nd places that holidaymakers are
yet to discover. Timor-Leste (East
Timor), however, is just one such hidden
gem. Just eight degrees south of the equa-
tor and less than 700km north-west of
Darwin across the Timor Sea, Timor-
Leste is a tropical paradise that’s currently
off most travellers’ radars. It’s a place full
of cultural and natural surprises where
you won’t see buses full of camera-happy
tourists or be hassled on street corners
to buy local wares. Instead, you will be
treated to an honest and genuine
Timorese experience that will warm your
heart and open your eyes.
Delving deep into the culture, shaped
by a rich and sometimes turbulent his-
tory, provides countless rewards and willDESTINATION HIGHLIGHT: TIMOR-LESTEPicture postcard.
Make fresh tracks
in the sand on the
idyllic tropical paradise
of Jaco Island.5 OF THE BEST
TIMOR-LESTE
SIGH TS
1 ATAURO
ISLAND
Hook up with a local
dive operator to reach
Atauro. Stay a few
nights in humble accom-
modation and immerse
yourself in the abundant marine life
for which Timor-Leste is famous.2 MT RAMELAU
From the small town of Hatubuilico
you can take a three-hour trek to the
top of the 2963m-high Foho
Tatamailau (Mt Ramelau), Timor-
Leste’s highest peak. There’s an
open-air church at 2700m and a
statue of the Virgin Mary at the top.3 JACO ISLAND
This tiny uninhabited island off
Timor-Leste’s east coast has white
sandy beaches, palm trees, tradi-
tional dugout canoes and coral reefs
in crystal-clear waters. Expect to
have it mostly to yourself.4 DILI
A bustling city of colour and energy,
you’ll find traditional weaving,
market stalls full of fresh
produce, locally cooked
foods and, of course,
Timorese hospitality.5 BACAU
A Portuguese-era
colonial town with
a bustling historic
marketplace stacked
with local produce.give you a new perspective on life,
happiness and freedom. The Timorese
people will quickly take you in, make
you laugh and remind you that the
future is yet to be written.
For lovers of nature, Timor-Leste
off ers plenty in the form of lush, rugged
mountains, sensational coastlines and
spectacular coral reefs rippling with life.
Exploration is easy here if you have an
adventurous spirit, and there are end-
less opportunities for trekking, biking,
kayaking, diving and snorkelling.
So, if you are the type of person
who likes to make footprints on
untrodden beaches, to be the only
westerner in town and to eat seafood
fresh from the ocean, then Timor-
Leste may be the place for you.