Ainaro

Ainaro is a town in East Timor that serves as the capital of the Ainaro Succo, the Ainaro administrative post, and the Ainaro Municipality. It is located in the country's southwest. Ainaro is located 78 kilometers south of Dili, the national capital. In the months leading up to the 30 August 1999 referendum on independence, Ainaro was home to a sizable presence of pro-Indonesia militias backed by the Indonesian military.

Balibo, a little hill village at the land boundary in the western part of Ainaro, boasts a historic fort with expansive views of the surrounding countryside. A boutique hotel and restaurant are located within the fort. Guided tours of local communities and caves can be arranged through the hotel. Ainaro boasts lovely creamy white beaches that span both ways. The coastline is lined with a small resort and guest houses. Fishing is one of the activities that can be organized. It provides a pleasant, serene atmosphere and is ideal for watching Timor-stunning Leste's tropical sunsets. The Cementerio de Santa Cruz is merely an old Catholic cemetery, but it has come to represent the Indonesian occupiers' power grab when soldiers opened fire on mourners during Sebastiao Gomes' funeral. Tourists can walk through the cemetery, but there is no memorial to the victims.

Location: Ainaro, Timor-Leste

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