Dili's area is relatively unexplored, owing to the fact that most travelers pass through on their way to Indonesia or other South Asian countries. This is a good thing, because Dili boasts one of the most beautiful green landscapes in the world, with virtually all of it intact and unspoiled.

Dili is a region that provides more than simply beautiful scenery, with spectacular snorkeling reefs, enormous and lush mountains, and perilous areas marked by the devastations of war.

Traveling to Timor-Leste in bad weather can ruin almost all of your plans. This is because roads are usually shut down and pathways can be dangerously muddy and slippery to use. Therefore, the best time to visit Dili is in between the months of June to September as the weather is completely dry then.

As a tourist, you might not have significant options for accommodation, particularly if you’re aiming for a budget hotel. The choice that you eventually make for your accommodation will depend on the type of traveling you’re doing and the budget that you have. For backpackers going either solo or with friends, the best option for accommodation is either a dormitory or twin room in hostels. If you want to go for a higher standard accommodation while traveling as a couple, a good option would be booking a room in a resort or a hotel which is on the lower-end in terms of prices.

• Location: Dili, Timor-Leste
• Things To Do: diving, snorkeling, whale watching, hiking
• Best Time To Visit: between the months of June to September as the weather is completely dry
• Best For: Hotel, Motel, Dormonity

Jaco Island is a deserted island in the Pacific with a forest of various tree species, fine white sand, and pure water that changes from light blue to a deeper hue, producing a lovely blue gradient. It is situated on the island of Timor's easternmost tip. Politically, it is part of the Tutuala subdistrict (Lautém district).

Jaco is also home to rare bird species such as the pigeon-cuckoo and the cream-breasted whistler. In addition, reef sharks, sea turtles, dolphins, and technicolor fish abound on Jaco Island's waters.

Hire a local fisherman to take you from the mainland to Jaco Island for the day if you wish to see the island (they might even catch you your dinner and prepare it for you for a small fee). Since Jaco Island is sacred, it is largely uninhabited. For those who choose to stay the night, there is just a modest hotel and a camping space. Bring all of your food and supplies with you. Furthermore, Jaco is one of the last remaining uninhabited islands of the globe. So, prevent littering by returning whatever you brought in order to maintain the natural beauty of the area.

• Location: Jaco, East Timor
• Things To Do: Paragliding, climbing, hiking, waterfall
• Best Time To Visit: From late December to early April
• Best Places To Stay: Ocean Boutique Hotel, Croc’s Resort & Casino
  

Mount Ramelau, also known as Mount Tatamailau or Tetum Foho Tatamailau, is the highest mountain on Timor's island, standing at 2,963 meters. The mountain is located around 120 kilometers south of Dili, in the Hatu Builico sub-district of the Ainaro district. It takes about three or four hours from Hatu Builico. From this vantage point, you can view almost the whole nation on a clear day!

For thrill-seekers, Timor Lest has plenty of choices. In the Ainaro region, the country's highest mountain peak, Mount Ramelau, provides a world-class trekking experience. If you enjoy hiking, you must go to Ramelau mountain. Most hikers leave before daybreak, so the trek from the bottom to the summit takes around six hours and is accompanied by breathtaking vistas. The ascent to the peak is rather straightforward, and hikers will come across a statue of the Virgin Mary, one of the country's most recognized Catholic icons. In addition, the area is home to numerous rare bird species that are only found in Timor.

• Location: Tata Mailau, Timor-Leste
• Best time to visit: May to October (drier weather and greater visibility)
• Things To Do: climbing, hiking
• Best Places to Stay: The Plaza Hotel, Timor Plaza Hotel & Apartments

Marobo is an isolated village on the border between the Ermera and Bobonaro provinces in Timor-Leste. Hidden and rarely visited, Marobo is perfect for a day trip from the town of Maliana. Pass through Timorese homesteads down a bumpy, turbulent dirt road, until you arrive at the ruins of a resort (lay hot springs and the remains of what must have once been an idyllic retreat in a lush, tropical mountain setting). Though the resort is gone, a large pool, mud bath, and mineral bath are kept in full working condition, creating an eerie atmosphere.

Take a dip in the Marobo Hot Springs, a natural spring on mountain foothills. The hot springs produce nearly 530 gallons of water per minute and have the characteristic pungent stank of sulfur. They also contain a large quantity of sodium and calcium. The highest temperature of the water is approximately 120°F, and is found where the small falls are.

• Location: Maliana, Timor-Leste
• Things To Do: dipping in hot springs
• Best Time To Visit: May to October
• Best Places to Stay: Samoy Hotel, Newport Dunes Waterfront Resort

One of the best things to do in Timor Leste is to go to Ira Lalaro. Ira Lalaro is located on Timor's extremely east coast and is part of the Nino Konis Santana National Park, which was established by East Timor in August 2007. This is the biggest freshwater lake located on the Lospalos plateau in a basin surrounded by the Paitchau Mountains. There are karstic limestone deposits here, as well as blind valleys, caverns, and lakes. Ira Lalaro has an average water reserve area of 1,900 hectares.

It's a sanctuary for bird lovers because it's part of Mount Paitchau Important Bird Area. The picturesque views of the lake, mountains, and woods await you on the northern bank. The southern side, on the other hand, is dreamlike in its splendor, with its wetlands and half-submerged trees. However, hundreds of estuarine crocodiles, which may grow to be 5 meters (17 feet) long, reside in the lake's waters, so it's preferable to observe them from distance. The people hold crocodiles in high regard, believing that they are tied to their origin myths.

• Location: Mehara, Subdistrict Tutuala, Lautém District, East Timor.
• Best time to visit: May to July
• Things To Do: watching the landscape, walking, hiking
• Best Places To Stay: Pousada Tutulala

Baucau is the capital of the Baucau Roman Catholic Diocese, one of East Timor's two Bishoprics. It was founded on November 30, 1996, when the bishopric of Dili fell apart. Its bishop is Basilio do Nascimento. This charming town must be seen while traveling across Timor-Leste!

With white-sand beaches and coves border the gorgeous coastline, while inland, imposing peaks such as Mount Matebian and Mount Ramelau provide breathtaking views. Baucau is home to the world's second-largest city, also known as Baucau. Historic Portuguese buildings, a bustling market, and a large public swimming pool filled with clean spring water may all be found here. Baucau is the capital of Baucau Island, which is located in the country's east. It has a population of around 16,000 people. In the days of Portuguese Timor, Baucau was little more than an overgrown village, and it was known as Vila Salazar for most of that period.

• Location: Baucau, East Timor
• Best time to visit: from June to September which is during the dry season where the sky is clear and no rain
• Things To Do: swimming, hiking, visiting The St. Anthony Cathedral, admiring The Pousada De Baucau
• Best Places to Stay: Hotel Helen, Podu' cu Lanturi, Villa AnnaLia, Hotel EMD

Atauro Island is the untouched eco-tourism gem of Southeast Asia. Just a short boat ride from Dili, Atauro Island has everything you could want in a relaxing tropical getaway: lush mountains with dozens of trails to explore; white sand beaches and gently lapping waves; volcanic mountains shrouded in wispy clouds; people and communities still practicing local customs; and the world's most biodiverse reefs, with hundreds of dolphins and whales swarming the surface.

An amusing tidbit is that Atauro means "goat" in the local language; nevertheless, it is not in the middle of nowhere, so expect to see plenty of goats. During the Portuguese and Indonesian occupations of what is now the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, Atauro Island was used as a local jail. You may also use crafted goggles and spear guns to try your hand at traditional fishing for a discount.

• Location: East Timor (between the Indonesian islands of Alor and Wetar)
• Best time to visit: between June to September when it is dry and the weather predictable with a clear sky and good visibility underwater
• Things To Do: Go Snorkeling In The Morning, Go Snorkeling Along The Beloi Beach, Go For A Morning Hike Up The Viewpoint, Walk Around The Saturday Morning Market
• Best Places To Stay: Beloi Beach Hotel, Timor Lodge Hotel

The municipality of Liquica, located on the country's northern coast, offers a treasure trove of land and aquatic attractions. This area is part of the Coral Triangle, an immensely complex aquatic environment with coral reefs, countless fish species, and other sorts of marine life. Divers may enjoy a spectacular underwater habitat in the seas around Liquica Island.

On dry land, the ruins of Aipelo, a Portuguese-founded colonial jail in the 19th century, may be viewed. In the town of Maubara, there is also a Dutch fort dating from the 17th century as mentioned above. Another place worth visiting is the old Liquica Administrator's house in the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste. The old residence of the Liquica Administrator was built in the neoclassical style about 1910. In front, there is a magnificent staircase, and beyond it is a spacious garden with a pool. During the Indonesian occupation, it served as the house of the Indonesian governor. Opposite the home, a small park with several pavilions was planned.

• Location: Liquica District, Timor-Leste
• Best time to visit: April to November
• Things To Do: Watch Arte Moris, Go Tais Market
• Best Places To Stay: Malinamoc Paradise, Excelsior Resort

The people of Timor-Leste cultivate coffee mostly in the Maubisse region, and if you visit East Timor between June and September, you could just arrive in time for the coffee harvest. The charming village of Maubisse lies approximately 70 km south of the Timor-Leste capital. The Portuguese utilized it as a settlement because of its moderate temperature and excellent land; the ruins of centuries-old Portuguese buildings may still be found there today.

This place is also the most famous place for international tourists. This famous monument in East Timor is considered as the base to trek Mt. Ramelau. Maubisse is basically a small town with an old and only hotel Pousada de Maubisse. This town can be a great experience to visit this place and is adventurous too. When in this area, you might want to pay a visit to some of the following locations: Aileu, Same, Ainaro,...

• Location: Ainaro District, Timor-Leste
• Best Time To Visit: June to September
• Things To Do: climbing, hiking
• Best Places To Stay: Café Maubisse Guesthouse, Hakmatek Eco-accommodation

The most eastern municipality of Timor-Leste, Lautem includes the sprawling main center of Lospalos and has a wealth of natural and cultural locations of interest to travelers. Lospalos is home to the Fataluku people. They also are known for producing high-quality tais, wood carvings, and woven basket ware.

Set on an undulated plain surrounded by forested hills the countryside around Lospalos is used for rice cultivation and other crops. Raising livestock, especially extensive herds of cattle and water buffalo is the main activity. Further, towards the mountains and the south coast, the municipality becomes wilder and more scarcely populated.

From Tutuala’s high cliff setting, views are mind-blowing over the forested ranges, out to the Indonesian island of Kisar, and to the blue sea shimmering far below. From the local pousada’s ramparts, rich birdlife can be observed along with monkeys swinging through the forest. The limestone caves and buttresses within the national park have some of Timor-Leste’s most important archeological treasures – ancient fossils and cave drawings. To access the caves, guides can be arranged.

• Location: Lautem District, Timor-Leste
• Best Time To Visit: May to October
• Things To Do: swimming, going to the local market, going fishing,
• Best Places To Stay: Esperanca guest house,