1. “Timor” comes from the Malay word timur, which means “east” – so the name East Timor can be translated to “east east.” 2. The East Timorese often call their country Timor Lorosa’e. Lorosa’e means “rising sun.” 3. The currency used in East Timor is the same as the currency used in the Hawaiian Islands – the US dollar. 4. East Timor has its own centavo coins, whose...
Caril Caril is a mild chicken curry, made with coconut milk and roasted capsicum. It is one of East Timor’s favorite dishes. Unlike many curries from other Asian countries, East Timor’s caril is only mildly spicy. Although it goes best with rice, it is often served with corn, East Timor’s primary staple. Pastel de nata Pastel de nata, or Portuguese egg tart, is a...
Visit a coffee plantation Coffee has been a major export crop of East Timor since the mid-19th century, when the country was still under Portuguese rule. Coffee from East Timor was famous for its low acidity, wonderful aroma, and high caffeine content. Today, East Timor’s coffee is still famous all over the world, and not just for its taste, kick, and aroma, but also...
Dili For most visitors to the country, Dili is the first stop, the jumpoff point to other East Timor places, largely because most of the hotels in the country are located here. Before you leave Dili, though, to visit the other parts of East Timor, take some time to explore the city’s own treasures and landmarks first. One of those is the Integration Monument, which...
East Timor is a tropical country with a hot and humid climate regardless of the season. The average temperatures in the country play between 30–35 °C (85–95 °F). The lowest it usually goes is 18 °C (64 °F). There are two distinct seasons in East Timor: wet and dry. Wet season is from December to April. In these months, the rain falls in torrents, and small rivers...
