Take the path less travelled - Dive East Timor

Happy New Year to all!!

I am writing to you from East Timor where I live, work and dive. Although this post may sound like I am trying to sell you something, my intentions are purely to get the word out on how awesome a place this is for diving.

You won't get the same choices in restaurants, shopping centers and clubs as you do in Bali but remember that Dili is a town of only around 90,000. It is quiet and quaint and is the perfect place to relax between dives.

The diving on the other hand is phenomenal!! Within a 45 minute drive from Dili you have a choice of 25+ shore dive sites where the reef is right there next to the entry point. Several sites are only 10-15 minutes from town. The north shore is blessed with little surf and currents are relatively mild due to the fact that there is a big 3km deep undersea trench north of the shore which absorbs wave energy. So, beach entries are as easy as a stoll in the park.

North shore sites offer everything from walls covered with soft corals, to critter infested sandy bottoms.

So, come join us and dive the world's newest nation! You will love it. The websites listed below will give you a taste for what there is to see while diving here. Enjoy!

Nick

Hi Nick, welcome to the forum! I've been planing to go to East Timor for a long time... And I even speak the native language (I am from Brazil)

Has the political situation stabilized over there?

Luiz

Hi Nick, welcome to the forum! I've been planing to go to East Timor for a long time... And I even speak the native language (I am from Brazil)

 

Has the political situation stabilized over there?

 

Luiz

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Luiz, I have been here for just over 4 years and would say that there are less security risks than in most other places that I have lived and visited including San Francisco, L.A., Miami and New York.

Many have a preconceived notion that it is still like the days when the independence movement was being repressed by the occupiers army elements. Timor-Leste gained its independence over four years ago and has been peaceful since then.

Come visit, we'll show you around. The diving is great.

Nick

Luiz (and everybody else),

Just hope everyone realizes that if you aren't coming from Oz, you more or less have to pass through Bali on the way to E Timor, so I expect to hear from you too.

Starting the 24 hour count-down to Raja Empat tomorow morning. Camera and dive gear almost packed.

Frogfish

Good point, Frogfish. You also need to stay a night in Denpasar before coming to Timor because there are no connecting flights that get you to Denpasar early enough to catch the one time daily 9am flight. But, then again, the diving here is worth it!!

Hey Nick, how about showing us how good it is? Can you please post some of your best shots on the Photo Gallery section?

Thanks!

Luiz

Luiz,

I can assure you that you would love it here but since you seem like the type that is hard to convince , I posted some pics:

Timor Taster

Hey Nick,

Good to finally see you on here.

Welcome, no need to convince me, i've seen lots. And of course i know Larry Smith so....nuff said..

Mike

Thanks Mike! We are waiting to give you a tour of our island paradise too.

Come on down.

Nick