Cristo Rei Beach

The Cristo Rei (Christ the King) statue is similar to the much larger and far more well-known Cristo Redentor (Christ the Redeemer) statue that towers over Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (A Cristo Rei can also be found in Lisbon, Portugal.) In many ways, Dili and the landscape of East Timor are similar to Rio. Perhaps it was typical of the Portuguese to choose locations for future cities that already had substantial natural fortifications.

The 500-ish step climb to the Jesus statue is lined with a series of shrine-like grottoes that tell the story of Christ's life, death, and resurrection, including such significant moments as "Jesus falls first time," "Jesus falls second time," and my personal favorite, "Jesus falls third time."

Cristo Rei Beach is situated in Dili. This beach is directly in front of the great statue of Christ the King, a popular tourist attraction; if you visit this beach, you must not miss the opportunity to climb to the statue; there are many steps, 500 to be exact, but it is well worth it. From above, you can see the beach's majesty, its crystal clear water, and its sky blue reflection.

Address: Cristo Rei Beach, Dili, East Timor