East Timor hopes improved infrastructure will entice more visitors to sample its rich Portuguese heritage and the untouched beaches that ring the island. (JG Photo/Eduardo Mariz)
With coastlines washed by 13 seas and more than a hundred active volcanoes dotted over thousands of islands, the geography-minded traveler will find Indonesia anything but a disappointment.
Yet in the vastness of the archipelago, one measurement is often overlooked: the length of its land borders with Papua New Guinea, Malaysia and East Timor total 2,830 kilometers — longer than any other island nation and even some mainland countries such as Poland, Egypt and Turkey.
Despite its size, only seven official land border postings allow the transit of goods and people to move from one country to another: four in Timor, two in Borneo and one in Papua. The remoteness of the checkpoints and the unavailability of on-arrival visas make them impractical entry points for most visitors to Indonesia.
But if East Timor’s ambitious tourism plans continue, this could soon change for Mota’ain, the busiest border crossing between Indonesia and the young neighboring nation.
Cross-border facilities on the eastern side were upgraded in 2010 in anticipation of greater usage, and the 118-kilometer road connecting the capital Dili to the checkpoint is being improved as part of the national Road Network Development Sector Project funded by a grant from the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
Local residents, many of whom have been employed on the project, will soon benefit from easier access to basic infrastructure such as health-care centers and schools.
But for tourism, the improved access between East Timor and Indonesia could encourage visitors to include Timor in their travel plans.
Developing tourism in East Timor
Since gaining formal independence in 2002, East Timor has come a long way in the arduous process of becoming a sovereign state.
The nation of just over a million people sees in tourism the potential of a core economic sector alongside oil and gas exports, which currently make up more than 90 percent of government revenue.
At the moment, East Timor remains one the world’s least visited countries, having received only 51,000 tourists in 2011 — to put that into perspective, Papua New Guinea had three times that number in the same year while Thailand received more than 19 million.
The East Timor National Development Plan (2011-2030) seeks to change that by promoting the nation as a prime stop in many areas: from religious significance to marine tourism.
(JG Photo/Eduardo Mariz)
By next year it aims to have most critical infrastructure in place, and by 2020 fully operational touristic destinations in the three targeted tourism zones: East (from Tutuala through to Com and Baucau), Central (the capital Dili as well as Atauro Island and the Maubisse region) and West (a loop from Dili along the Great Northern Coast Road to Balibo, Maliana and Bobonaro).
Our recent visit to the West and Central areas confirmed that the initial stages of the project are well underway. For travelers heading to East Nusa Tenggara, land crossing the island of Timor should be counted as an enticing possibility.
Arriving in Dili
East Timor’s town-sized capital is also home to the nation’s only commercial airport, with direct services from Singapore, Denpasar and Darwin. Arriving passengers can clear customs and leave the terminal in record time, as incoming flights rarely coincide.
Accommodation options in Dili range from budged inns such as the East Timor Backpackers ($12 a night) to the upmarket Hotel Esplanada ($120 a night).
Getting around on foot is encouraged; most attractions are at a walking distance from each other, including the iconic statue of Cristo Rei, reminiscent of Rio de Janeiro’s Christ the Redeemer.
The six kilometers from Dili’s port to the monument, a gift from Indonesia’s former president Suharto during the annexation period, is the most scenic and worthwhile walk.
The path by the beach is pedestrian friendly and there is a good selection of restaurants offering local and international cuisine.
For history buffs, the Chega! Museum and the Museum of East Timorese Resistance are a must, offering detailed accounts of the young nation’s troubled path to independence.
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