WEBVTT
00:00:06.110 --> 00:00:06.320
Bondi.
00:00:06.740 --> 00:00:12.410
Welcome to exploring Tim Este, the podcast that talks about Southeast Asia's best kept travel secret.
00:00:12.710 --> 00:00:17.660
I'm your host Jte, and I'll share firsthand insights, expert interviews and practical travel tips.
00:00:17.960 --> 00:00:22.309
Whether you're a traveler, a cultural lover, or just curious about places rarely covered in the mainstream.
00:00:22.519 --> 00:00:23.480
You're in the right place.
00:00:23.570 --> 00:00:24.800
Let's explore two more.
00:00:24.800 --> 00:00:25.219
Less day.
00:00:31.867 --> 00:00:36.008
Timor Lesse isn't exactly a budget backpacker's paradise.
00:00:36.508 --> 00:00:39.868
Primarily because it uses the US dollar as its currency.
00:00:40.368 --> 00:00:46.158
Timay is a small remote country far from major transport hubs, and it relies heavily on imports.
00:00:46.548 --> 00:00:50.838
The only real locally grown products widely available are food, stables and coffee.
00:00:51.078 --> 00:00:56.987
But while some things can be pricey, many activities and attractions are surprisingly affordable or even free.
00:00:57.737 --> 00:01:05.207
In this episode, I'm gonna give you a snapshot of typical costs you can expect when visiting Timor Less Estate in 2025.
00:01:05.707 --> 00:01:19.888
I'm gonna cover eight areas, flights and visa, accommodation, transport, food and drink, snorkeling and diving, attractions and tours, internet tipping and money tips.
00:01:20.388 --> 00:01:22.908
Start with flights and visa.
00:01:23.207 --> 00:01:29.498
So flights to dili typically start at around 500 US dollars return.
00:01:29.828 --> 00:01:40.617
The two main hubs are Bali and Darwin with daily flights, and they've also have less regular flights from Singapore and recently from Kuala Lumpur.
00:01:41.117 --> 00:01:47.018
So those obviously cost a bit more expensive as a bit further, Darwin and Bali are about an hour and a half flight time.
00:01:47.518 --> 00:01:53.608
When you arrive, you will need 30 US dollars in cash to get your 30 day tourist visa.
00:01:53.817 --> 00:02:02.218
There aren't any money facilities on the air side of the airport, so you need to make sure you bring that 30 US dollars with you to get into the country.
00:02:02.718 --> 00:02:09.828
And then getting from the airport to town, your options are you can catch a taxi, which start from around$15.
00:02:09.828 --> 00:02:19.337
They are fixed prices, there's a big board when you leave the terminal, which has the prices of different parts of dili, but primarily if you're going kind of downtown, it's gonna be around 15 US dollars.
00:02:19.837 --> 00:02:30.657
Or if you're on a budget, you can catch a Mette, which is a local bus, which costs just 25 cents, although that's 25 cents in the local team, Marie Currency.
00:02:30.657 --> 00:02:33.598
So you may have some challenges, should be able to get some change.
00:02:33.598 --> 00:02:37.437
If you have$1 or maybe even if you're lucky, a$5 US note.
00:02:37.768 --> 00:02:41.568
You can catch that from the PTE lau Lobato roundabout.
00:02:41.568 --> 00:02:47.897
If you walk about five minutes outside of the airport, you'll get to the roundabout, which is just outside the entrance to the airport.
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And you'll see Mik lets there you want to be going to your left, which will take you into town.
00:02:53.497 --> 00:02:54.728
And it depends where you're going.
00:02:54.728 --> 00:03:00.127
If you look online, there are some maps for the Mik route in Dili to help you get to your accommodation.
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They're very frequent.
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They're very frequent, but they don't have a lot of space.
00:03:03.657 --> 00:03:08.307
So this is only really suitable if you've only got a small backpack or carry on if you've got large bits of luggage.
00:03:08.307 --> 00:03:09.568
Be best off getting a taxi.
00:03:10.068 --> 00:03:12.018
Number two in terms of accommodation.
00:03:12.048 --> 00:03:19.668
So in Dili budget, travelers should expect to pay a minimum of 30 US dollars per night for a basic guest house or hostel.
00:03:20.087 --> 00:03:23.328
Mid-tier hotels run at about a hundred dollars per night.
00:03:23.538 --> 00:03:26.837
While there are some high-end options, which are$200 or more.
00:03:27.337 --> 00:03:30.907
Outside of delete prices drop slightly, but not by much.
00:03:31.117 --> 00:03:35.828
So budget rooms typically go for around 25 to 40 US dollars per night.
00:03:36.127 --> 00:03:40.057
That will often include breakfast, but it may not include towels.
00:03:40.057 --> 00:03:41.497
So bring your own travel towel.
00:03:41.707 --> 00:03:44.377
May not include toilet paper, so bring your own toilet paper.
00:03:44.587 --> 00:03:47.103
Depends again where you're visiting, but options are pretty.
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Limited.
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When you start getting outside of dili, most towns will have one or two guest houses to stay in.
00:03:53.763 --> 00:03:56.983
But there isn't a huge market for tourists or visitors.
00:03:57.133 --> 00:04:00.163
So correspondingly, there's not a huge amount of infrastructure.
00:04:00.663 --> 00:04:06.823
Have some nice uh, sada, which are, portuguese colonial buildings that would be turned into accommodation.
00:04:06.973 --> 00:04:11.932
They have quite a lot of character, but they tend to be a bit more expensive, number three around transport.
00:04:11.932 --> 00:04:19.492
So as I mentioned, MTS in Dili only cost 25 cents per ride, making them a very cheap way to get around taxis.
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You're negotiate with a taxi driver.
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It's a little bit of a large barge sometimes, but you're normally gonna pay 10 to$15 depending where you want to get around town.
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And the taxis, you've got the yellow ones, which are the most frequent ones you'll see.
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They're generally not the best maintained vehicles.
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And then you've got the blue taxis, which are.
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Better vehicles, but they are a bit more expensive and you have to phone them to book them.
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And for longer distances traveling from dili to the main towns around Timor-Leste, there are local buses.
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These tend to be pretty crowded, pretty noisy.
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They tend to leave early in the morning, like to some places they might leave at 4:00 AM early.
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And once they're full they leave, they go out to the towns they're gonna cost somewhere between about.
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Five and$12.
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So they're relatively cheap.
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Maybe$5 to bau, maybe$12 out to em.
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But they don't have a schedule and they're definitely not the most comfortable way to get around.
00:05:09.838 --> 00:05:15.418
There are domestic flights through Mission Aviation, fellowship Math, and they cost around$80 one way.
00:05:15.718 --> 00:05:18.838
And they're a good way of seeing the country from the air, which is very beautiful.
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And they can also arrange a car rental service when you arrive at your destination, which I think is about a hundred dollars off the top of my head to get you where you need to get to.
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'cause often these airstrips can be quite remote.
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There are ferries between Dili and Aru Island, which are between four and$12, and there are ferries out to Kui, which are about$15 or flights to kui around$20.
00:05:41.312 --> 00:05:46.903
You can also get private chartered boats between Dili and uh, roo Island.
00:05:46.903 --> 00:05:48.793
Often through the accommodation providers.
00:05:48.793 --> 00:05:50.833
Somebody like Compass Diving, they have a boat.
00:05:50.892 --> 00:05:54.843
They tend to be, I think 50, 60, 70,$80.
00:05:54.843 --> 00:05:56.403
So they're not particularly cheap option.
00:05:56.403 --> 00:06:01.257
The ferries are a lot more cost effective, but the other ones can work around your schedule potentially.
00:06:01.437 --> 00:06:09.182
If you look at Barry's Place on his website, he has a very good section about getting to uh, to Island, which has full details of the options available.
00:06:09.682 --> 00:06:13.372
And finally on transport, there's also hiring a car with a local driver.
00:06:13.372 --> 00:06:19.182
And that I would recommend if you're trying to get outside of Dili and you have the money to allow you to do so.
00:06:19.182 --> 00:06:24.622
It is a lot safer and more convenient than taking the public transport.
00:06:24.833 --> 00:06:31.612
But you're probably gonna pay somewhere between about 120 and 150 US dollars per day, which will be car hire plus driver.
00:06:32.112 --> 00:06:33.822
Number four, food and drink.
00:06:33.942 --> 00:06:38.742
So if you eat where the locals eat meals cost typically between two and four US dollars.
00:06:39.043 --> 00:06:44.382
If you're eating at an international star restaurant, they're gonna charge you probably$10 or more for a meal.
00:06:44.882 --> 00:06:47.642
Tap water isn't safe to drink anywhere in two more less days.
00:06:47.642 --> 00:06:51.752
So plan to buy bottled water or potentially use a water filter.
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Terms of bottled water, standard is one and a half liter bottles.
00:06:56.278 --> 00:06:59.218
They cost 50 cents and they're available almost everywhere.
00:06:59.218 --> 00:07:00.598
So they're cost effective.
00:07:00.697 --> 00:07:08.788
If you're staying longer, you can get 19 liter water bottles, which are$10 for the bottle and$1 for each refill.
00:07:09.117 --> 00:07:13.918
They're not that useful if you're a tourist, but if you're gonna stay here, that's the best way of getting clean water.
00:07:14.418 --> 00:07:16.187
Number five, snorkeling and diving.
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So a standard scuba dive.
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Expect to pay between 50 and 60 US dollars per dive to get a open water certification.
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Those courses cost around$400.
00:07:26.668 --> 00:07:30.718
Snorkeling from the mainland is free as far as I've seen.
00:07:30.718 --> 00:07:38.117
So if you go into$1 Beach or some of the beaches like Bat Beach and Tassie Tolu and Crito Ray Beach in Dili, those are all free.
00:07:38.387 --> 00:07:53.088
If you are snorkeling in a protected marine reserve, and there are a number of those around at Island, for example, the main one in Beloit, just from where most people will stay, that is a protected marine reserve and you pay$2 entry fee to go into the reserve.
00:07:53.588 --> 00:08:03.637
And then again on Roo Island, if you're gonna rent a boat for snorkeling, which is recommended to get to the best reefs around Beloit, they typically cost about$12 per hour.
00:08:03.637 --> 00:08:05.528
But you can split that amongst your group.
00:08:05.528 --> 00:08:11.567
So if there's three of you that's$4 per person Most of the reefs in Leste, you can just access from the beach.
00:08:11.567 --> 00:08:18.778
Certainly the ones on the mainland typically like that, but the ones in ARU Island a little bit further out and worth getting a boat out to.
00:08:18.827 --> 00:08:19.848
It's a long swim.
00:08:19.848 --> 00:08:20.927
It's a very short boat ride.
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Number six in terms of attractions and tours.
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Now, almost all attractions in Timor are free to visit.
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The exceptions would be places like the Mangroves in Hira, and there's also mangroves in TBAR.
00:08:34.013 --> 00:08:37.043
So that's to the east and the west of Central Dili.
00:08:37.352 --> 00:08:40.082
There's the Dock Marley waterfall in Narro.
00:08:40.342 --> 00:08:45.582
And then mentioned those snorkeling reserves around, but the fees are typically one,$2.
00:08:45.613 --> 00:08:47.592
They're, They're pretty cheap for those kind of things.
00:08:47.923 --> 00:09:00.923
The most expensive tourist attraction that I've come across in my travels around Timor is the rock art site at ili, which is near Jaco Island, and that costs tenuous dollars per person, but that money's going to the local community.
00:09:00.923 --> 00:09:02.633
But that's probably the most expensive attraction.
00:09:02.633 --> 00:09:04.383
But it is definitely worth visiting.
00:09:04.883 --> 00:09:14.423
The guided tours, they're gonna range anywhere from$25 to$200 per day, and that really depends on the transport, the group size and the location.
00:09:14.923 --> 00:09:19.092
Often tour prices are based on three people sharing a vehicle.
00:09:19.123 --> 00:09:23.413
'cause you've got a four wheel drive, you can get three people reasonably comfortable in there.
00:09:23.562 --> 00:09:29.712
You should always agree on the price, the itinerary, and any inclusions and exclusions in advance.
00:09:29.962 --> 00:09:31.462
So there's no surprises.
00:09:31.673 --> 00:09:39.082
And remember to factor in that you'll typically pay for the driver and guides food and accommodation if your tour is overnight.
00:09:39.082 --> 00:09:40.673
So those costs, they might.
00:09:41.173 --> 00:09:47.842
Say this is the daily rate, but then you've gotta factor in, you might need to put$30 towards their accommodation and food to stay overnight.
00:09:48.342 --> 00:09:55.643
There's no official accreditation scheme for guides in Timor, so anybody can call themselves a guide or a tour company.
00:09:55.763 --> 00:10:02.182
So that's just something to be aware of and I'd recommend that you get some reviews or some recommendations from people before you make your choices.
00:10:02.482 --> 00:10:10.513
If you look on the Exploring Timor website, there is information and the tours about some of the more well established tour operators in Timor.
00:10:11.013 --> 00:10:17.793
And those prices vary because if you are looking for a half day walking tour somewhere or a guys up a mountain, that will be at the lower end.
00:10:18.003 --> 00:10:22.352
If you're looking for a fully supported hike in a remote location, that will be at the higher end.
00:10:22.602 --> 00:10:24.013
Number seven, the internet.
00:10:24.513 --> 00:10:30.793
Free wifi is very rare outside of high-end hotels, so you will need mobile data to stay connected.
00:10:31.033 --> 00:10:32.413
There are three providers in Timor.
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There's Timor Telecom, there's tele more, and there's.
00:10:35.173 --> 00:10:40.942
Tele more cell they have unlimited internet plans that cost between 20 and 30 US dollars per month.
00:10:40.972 --> 00:10:49.212
But those plans, although they're unlimited, they have a data cap, so they tend to work really well for two or three days, and then they drop to accrual where the internet is basically unusable.
00:10:49.212 --> 00:10:55.692
So I would recommend buying a certain amount of data because you know the speed then is gonna be consistent during your stay.
00:10:55.903 --> 00:10:58.393
And it depends on the duration and the amount of data you want.
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If you're gonna be in Timor for a week, you're probably gonna spend 10 or$20 on data.
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Number eight, tipping and Money tip.
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So tipping isn't part of Timor less day's culture, but as a visitor, your contributions are appreciated.
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Cash is king.
00:11:12.187 --> 00:11:17.018
Credit cards are very rarely accepted anywhere in two more, less day, some of the high-end.
00:11:17.097 --> 00:11:19.467
Tour operators or accommodation.
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Few restaurants will accept credit cards and they'll only accept Visa.
00:11:24.177 --> 00:11:28.467
MasterCard is only accepted in B News's ATM machines.
00:11:28.677 --> 00:11:30.028
So cash is king.
00:11:30.207 --> 00:11:32.398
Ideally bring it with you is probably the simplest option.
00:11:32.923 --> 00:11:35.024
There are ATMs in Timor.
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In Dili.
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There's a reasonable number.
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They may not always have cash in them, but if you go to a few you should be fine when you start getting outside of Dili.
00:11:43.063 --> 00:11:45.974
So when you read the major cities might have a couple of ATMs.
00:11:45.974 --> 00:11:52.413
So your best to bring all the money that you need for your entire trip uS Dollar Bank notes are accepted anywhere.
00:11:52.563 --> 00:11:56.644
The best notes to have are 10 and$20 bills,$50 bills.
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You can probably get away within a supermarket, but anything bigger than that is probably gonna be difficult.
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$1 notes are generally but not always accepted.
00:12:06.274 --> 00:12:11.464
And then you have local timor's coins for from$1 downwards basically.
00:12:11.964 --> 00:12:15.053
Now, I would suggest you always try and hoard your change.
00:12:15.083 --> 00:12:36.214
It can be quite hard to get change sometimes, and particularly if you're using public transport, like the Ts, you want to keep your small coins for those I finished with a couple of bonus trips If you're planning to travel outside of Dili, it's best to prearrange your transport and accommodation as options can be limited and it really helps to learn a few basic tetin phrases.
00:12:36.453 --> 00:12:39.514
It will go a long way with the locals and it may save you money.
00:12:40.033 --> 00:12:44.298
So that's giving you a bit of an overview of what things cost in Timor Less estate in 2025.
00:12:44.941 --> 00:12:47.760
Thank you so much for listening to exploring Timor Less Day.
00:12:47.791 --> 00:12:51.750
If you've enjoyed today's episode, please consider leaving a rating or review.
00:12:51.961 --> 00:12:54.120
It really helps more people discover the show.
00:12:54.541 --> 00:12:57.181
If you have any questions or feedback, I'd love to hear from you.
00:12:57.421 --> 00:13:02.850
Drop me an email at exploring Timor lessDay@gmail.com.
00:13:03.240 --> 00:13:05.221
Until next time, or Bodo ADEs.
00:00:06.110 --> 00:00:06.320
Bondi.
00:00:06.740 --> 00:00:12.410
Welcome to exploring Tim Este, the podcast that talks about Southeast Asia's best kept travel secret.
00:00:12.710 --> 00:00:17.660
I'm your host Jte, and I'll share firsthand insights, expert interviews and practical travel tips.
00:00:17.960 --> 00:00:22.309
Whether you're a traveler, a cultural lover, or just curious about places rarely covered in the mainstream.
00:00:22.519 --> 00:00:23.480
You're in the right place.
00:00:23.570 --> 00:00:24.800
Let's explore two more.
00:00:24.800 --> 00:00:25.219
Less day.
00:00:31.867 --> 00:00:36.008
Timor Lesse isn't exactly a budget backpacker's paradise.
00:00:36.508 --> 00:00:39.868
Primarily because it uses the US dollar as its currency.
00:00:40.368 --> 00:00:46.158
Timay is a small remote country far from major transport hubs, and it relies heavily on imports.
00:00:46.548 --> 00:00:50.838
The only real locally grown products widely available are food, stables and coffee.
00:00:51.078 --> 00:00:56.987
But while some things can be pricey, many activities and attractions are surprisingly affordable or even free.
00:00:57.737 --> 00:01:05.207
In this episode, I'm gonna give you a snapshot of typical costs you can expect when visiting Timor Less Estate in 2025.
00:01:05.707 --> 00:01:19.888
I'm gonna cover eight areas, flights and visa, accommodation, transport, food and drink, snorkeling and diving, attractions and tours, internet tipping and money tips.
00:01:20.388 --> 00:01:22.908
Start with flights and visa.
00:01:23.207 --> 00:01:29.498
So flights to dili typically start at around 500 US dollars return.
00:01:29.828 --> 00:01:40.617
The two main hubs are Bali and Darwin with daily flights, and they've also have less regular flights from Singapore and recently from Kuala Lumpur.
00:01:41.117 --> 00:01:47.018
So those obviously cost a bit more expensive as a bit further, Darwin and Bali are about an hour and a half flight time.
00:01:47.518 --> 00:01:53.608
When you arrive, you will need 30 US dollars in cash to get your 30 day tourist visa.
00:01:53.817 --> 00:02:02.218
There aren't any money facilities on the air side of the airport, so you need to make sure you bring that 30 US dollars with you to get into the country.
00:02:02.718 --> 00:02:09.828
And then getting from the airport to town, your options are you can catch a taxi, which start from around$15.
00:02:09.828 --> 00:02:19.337
They are fixed prices, there's a big board when you leave the terminal, which has the prices of different parts of dili, but primarily if you're going kind of downtown, it's gonna be around 15 US dollars.
00:02:19.837 --> 00:02:30.657
Or if you're on a budget, you can catch a Mette, which is a local bus, which costs just 25 cents, although that's 25 cents in the local team, Marie Currency.
00:02:30.657 --> 00:02:33.598
So you may have some challenges, should be able to get some change.
00:02:33.598 --> 00:02:37.437
If you have$1 or maybe even if you're lucky, a$5 US note.
00:02:37.768 --> 00:02:41.568
You can catch that from the PTE lau Lobato roundabout.
00:02:41.568 --> 00:02:47.897
If you walk about five minutes outside of the airport, you'll get to the roundabout, which is just outside the entrance to the airport.
00:02:48.198 --> 00:02:52.997
And you'll see Mik lets there you want to be going to your left, which will take you into town.
00:02:53.497 --> 00:02:54.728
And it depends where you're going.
00:02:54.728 --> 00:03:00.127
If you look online, there are some maps for the Mik route in Dili to help you get to your accommodation.
00:03:00.127 --> 00:03:01.057
They're very frequent.
00:03:01.467 --> 00:03:03.657
They're very frequent, but they don't have a lot of space.
00:03:03.657 --> 00:03:08.307
So this is only really suitable if you've only got a small backpack or carry on if you've got large bits of luggage.
00:03:08.307 --> 00:03:09.568
Be best off getting a taxi.
00:03:10.068 --> 00:03:12.018
Number two in terms of accommodation.
00:03:12.048 --> 00:03:19.668
So in Dili budget, travelers should expect to pay a minimum of 30 US dollars per night for a basic guest house or hostel.
00:03:20.087 --> 00:03:23.328
Mid-tier hotels run at about a hundred dollars per night.
00:03:23.538 --> 00:03:26.837
While there are some high-end options, which are$200 or more.
00:03:27.337 --> 00:03:30.907
Outside of delete prices drop slightly, but not by much.
00:03:31.117 --> 00:03:35.828
So budget rooms typically go for around 25 to 40 US dollars per night.
00:03:36.127 --> 00:03:40.057
That will often include breakfast, but it may not include towels.
00:03:40.057 --> 00:03:41.497
So bring your own travel towel.
00:03:41.707 --> 00:03:44.377
May not include toilet paper, so bring your own toilet paper.
00:03:44.587 --> 00:03:47.103
Depends again where you're visiting, but options are pretty.
00:03:47.603 --> 00:03:48.203
Limited.
00:03:48.203 --> 00:03:53.663
When you start getting outside of dili, most towns will have one or two guest houses to stay in.
00:03:53.763 --> 00:03:56.983
But there isn't a huge market for tourists or visitors.
00:03:57.133 --> 00:04:00.163
So correspondingly, there's not a huge amount of infrastructure.
00:04:00.663 --> 00:04:06.823
Have some nice uh, sada, which are, portuguese colonial buildings that would be turned into accommodation.
00:04:06.973 --> 00:04:11.932
They have quite a lot of character, but they tend to be a bit more expensive, number three around transport.
00:04:11.932 --> 00:04:19.492
So as I mentioned, MTS in Dili only cost 25 cents per ride, making them a very cheap way to get around taxis.
00:04:19.492 --> 00:04:21.552
You're negotiate with a taxi driver.
00:04:21.653 --> 00:04:27.802
It's a little bit of a large barge sometimes, but you're normally gonna pay 10 to$15 depending where you want to get around town.
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And the taxis, you've got the yellow ones, which are the most frequent ones you'll see.
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They're generally not the best maintained vehicles.
00:04:34.012 --> 00:04:35.812
And then you've got the blue taxis, which are.
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Better vehicles, but they are a bit more expensive and you have to phone them to book them.
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And for longer distances traveling from dili to the main towns around Timor-Leste, there are local buses.
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These tend to be pretty crowded, pretty noisy.
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They tend to leave early in the morning, like to some places they might leave at 4:00 AM early.
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And once they're full they leave, they go out to the towns they're gonna cost somewhere between about.
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Five and$12.
00:05:00.228 --> 00:05:01.228
So they're relatively cheap.
00:05:01.228 --> 00:05:04.468
Maybe$5 to bau, maybe$12 out to em.
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But they don't have a schedule and they're definitely not the most comfortable way to get around.
00:05:09.838 --> 00:05:15.418
There are domestic flights through Mission Aviation, fellowship Math, and they cost around$80 one way.
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And they're a good way of seeing the country from the air, which is very beautiful.
00:05:19.338 --> 00:05:27.043
And they can also arrange a car rental service when you arrive at your destination, which I think is about a hundred dollars off the top of my head to get you where you need to get to.
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'cause often these airstrips can be quite remote.
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There are ferries between Dili and Aru Island, which are between four and$12, and there are ferries out to Kui, which are about$15 or flights to kui around$20.
00:05:41.312 --> 00:05:46.903
You can also get private chartered boats between Dili and uh, roo Island.
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Often through the accommodation providers.
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Somebody like Compass Diving, they have a boat.
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They tend to be, I think 50, 60, 70,$80.
00:05:54.843 --> 00:05:56.403
So they're not particularly cheap option.
00:05:56.403 --> 00:06:01.257
The ferries are a lot more cost effective, but the other ones can work around your schedule potentially.
00:06:01.437 --> 00:06:09.182
If you look at Barry's Place on his website, he has a very good section about getting to uh, to Island, which has full details of the options available.
00:06:09.682 --> 00:06:13.372
And finally on transport, there's also hiring a car with a local driver.
00:06:13.372 --> 00:06:19.182
And that I would recommend if you're trying to get outside of Dili and you have the money to allow you to do so.
00:06:19.182 --> 00:06:24.622
It is a lot safer and more convenient than taking the public transport.
00:06:24.833 --> 00:06:31.612
But you're probably gonna pay somewhere between about 120 and 150 US dollars per day, which will be car hire plus driver.
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Number four, food and drink.
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So if you eat where the locals eat meals cost typically between two and four US dollars.
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If you're eating at an international star restaurant, they're gonna charge you probably$10 or more for a meal.
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Tap water isn't safe to drink anywhere in two more less days.
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So plan to buy bottled water or potentially use a water filter.
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Terms of bottled water, standard is one and a half liter bottles.
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They cost 50 cents and they're available almost everywhere.
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So they're cost effective.
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If you're staying longer, you can get 19 liter water bottles, which are$10 for the bottle and$1 for each refill.
00:07:09.117 --> 00:07:13.918
They're not that useful if you're a tourist, but if you're gonna stay here, that's the best way of getting clean water.
00:07:14.418 --> 00:07:16.187
Number five, snorkeling and diving.
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So a standard scuba dive.
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Expect to pay between 50 and 60 US dollars per dive to get a open water certification.
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Those courses cost around$400.
00:07:26.668 --> 00:07:30.718
Snorkeling from the mainland is free as far as I've seen.
00:07:30.718 --> 00:07:38.117
So if you go into$1 Beach or some of the beaches like Bat Beach and Tassie Tolu and Crito Ray Beach in Dili, those are all free.
00:07:38.387 --> 00:07:53.088
If you are snorkeling in a protected marine reserve, and there are a number of those around at Island, for example, the main one in Beloit, just from where most people will stay, that is a protected marine reserve and you pay$2 entry fee to go into the reserve.
00:07:53.588 --> 00:08:03.637
And then again on Roo Island, if you're gonna rent a boat for snorkeling, which is recommended to get to the best reefs around Beloit, they typically cost about$12 per hour.
00:08:03.637 --> 00:08:05.528
But you can split that amongst your group.
00:08:05.528 --> 00:08:11.567
So if there's three of you that's$4 per person Most of the reefs in Leste, you can just access from the beach.
00:08:11.567 --> 00:08:18.778
Certainly the ones on the mainland typically like that, but the ones in ARU Island a little bit further out and worth getting a boat out to.
00:08:18.827 --> 00:08:19.848
It's a long swim.
00:08:19.848 --> 00:08:20.927
It's a very short boat ride.
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Number six in terms of attractions and tours.
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Now, almost all attractions in Timor are free to visit.
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The exceptions would be places like the Mangroves in Hira, and there's also mangroves in TBAR.
00:08:34.013 --> 00:08:37.043
So that's to the east and the west of Central Dili.
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There's the Dock Marley waterfall in Narro.
00:08:40.342 --> 00:08:45.582
And then mentioned those snorkeling reserves around, but the fees are typically one,$2.
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They're, They're pretty cheap for those kind of things.
00:08:47.923 --> 00:09:00.923
The most expensive tourist attraction that I've come across in my travels around Timor is the rock art site at ili, which is near Jaco Island, and that costs tenuous dollars per person, but that money's going to the local community.
00:09:00.923 --> 00:09:02.633
But that's probably the most expensive attraction.
00:09:02.633 --> 00:09:04.383
But it is definitely worth visiting.
00:09:04.883 --> 00:09:14.423
The guided tours, they're gonna range anywhere from$25 to$200 per day, and that really depends on the transport, the group size and the location.
00:09:14.923 --> 00:09:19.092
Often tour prices are based on three people sharing a vehicle.
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'cause you've got a four wheel drive, you can get three people reasonably comfortable in there.
00:09:23.562 --> 00:09:29.712
You should always agree on the price, the itinerary, and any inclusions and exclusions in advance.
00:09:29.962 --> 00:09:31.462
So there's no surprises.
00:09:31.673 --> 00:09:39.082
And remember to factor in that you'll typically pay for the driver and guides food and accommodation if your tour is overnight.
00:09:39.082 --> 00:09:40.673
So those costs, they might.
00:09:41.173 --> 00:09:47.842
Say this is the daily rate, but then you've gotta factor in, you might need to put$30 towards their accommodation and food to stay overnight.
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There's no official accreditation scheme for guides in Timor, so anybody can call themselves a guide or a tour company.
00:09:55.763 --> 00:10:02.182
So that's just something to be aware of and I'd recommend that you get some reviews or some recommendations from people before you make your choices.
00:10:02.482 --> 00:10:10.513
If you look on the Exploring Timor website, there is information and the tours about some of the more well established tour operators in Timor.
00:10:11.013 --> 00:10:17.793
And those prices vary because if you are looking for a half day walking tour somewhere or a guys up a mountain, that will be at the lower end.
00:10:18.003 --> 00:10:22.352
If you're looking for a fully supported hike in a remote location, that will be at the higher end.
00:10:22.602 --> 00:10:24.013
Number seven, the internet.
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Free wifi is very rare outside of high-end hotels, so you will need mobile data to stay connected.
00:10:31.033 --> 00:10:32.413
There are three providers in Timor.
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There's Timor Telecom, there's tele more, and there's.
00:10:35.173 --> 00:10:40.942
Tele more cell they have unlimited internet plans that cost between 20 and 30 US dollars per month.
00:10:40.972 --> 00:10:49.212
But those plans, although they're unlimited, they have a data cap, so they tend to work really well for two or three days, and then they drop to accrual where the internet is basically unusable.
00:10:49.212 --> 00:10:55.692
So I would recommend buying a certain amount of data because you know the speed then is gonna be consistent during your stay.
00:10:55.903 --> 00:10:58.393
And it depends on the duration and the amount of data you want.
00:10:58.552 --> 00:11:02.177
If you're gonna be in Timor for a week, you're probably gonna spend 10 or$20 on data.
00:11:02.477 --> 00:11:04.368
Number eight, tipping and Money tip.
00:11:04.368 --> 00:11:09.947
So tipping isn't part of Timor less day's culture, but as a visitor, your contributions are appreciated.
00:11:10.447 --> 00:11:11.798
Cash is king.
00:11:12.187 --> 00:11:17.018
Credit cards are very rarely accepted anywhere in two more, less day, some of the high-end.
00:11:17.097 --> 00:11:19.467
Tour operators or accommodation.
00:11:19.717 --> 00:11:23.888
Few restaurants will accept credit cards and they'll only accept Visa.
00:11:24.177 --> 00:11:28.467
MasterCard is only accepted in B News's ATM machines.
00:11:28.677 --> 00:11:30.028
So cash is king.
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Ideally bring it with you is probably the simplest option.
00:11:32.923 --> 00:11:35.024
There are ATMs in Timor.
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In Dili.
00:11:35.683 --> 00:11:37.423
There's a reasonable number.
00:11:37.423 --> 00:11:42.703
They may not always have cash in them, but if you go to a few you should be fine when you start getting outside of Dili.
00:11:43.063 --> 00:11:45.974
So when you read the major cities might have a couple of ATMs.
00:11:45.974 --> 00:11:52.413
So your best to bring all the money that you need for your entire trip uS Dollar Bank notes are accepted anywhere.
00:11:52.563 --> 00:11:56.644
The best notes to have are 10 and$20 bills,$50 bills.
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You can probably get away within a supermarket, but anything bigger than that is probably gonna be difficult.
00:12:01.964 --> 00:12:05.774
$1 notes are generally but not always accepted.
00:12:06.274 --> 00:12:11.464
And then you have local timor's coins for from$1 downwards basically.
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Now, I would suggest you always try and hoard your change.
00:12:15.083 --> 00:12:36.214
It can be quite hard to get change sometimes, and particularly if you're using public transport, like the Ts, you want to keep your small coins for those I finished with a couple of bonus trips If you're planning to travel outside of Dili, it's best to prearrange your transport and accommodation as options can be limited and it really helps to learn a few basic tetin phrases.
00:12:36.453 --> 00:12:39.514
It will go a long way with the locals and it may save you money.
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So that's giving you a bit of an overview of what things cost in Timor Less estate in 2025.
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Thank you so much for listening to exploring Timor Less Day.
00:12:47.791 --> 00:12:51.750
If you've enjoyed today's episode, please consider leaving a rating or review.
00:12:51.961 --> 00:12:54.120
It really helps more people discover the show.
00:12:54.541 --> 00:12:57.181
If you have any questions or feedback, I'd love to hear from you.
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Drop me an email at exploring Timor lessDay@gmail.com.
00:13:03.240 --> 00:13:05.221
Until next time, or Bodo ADEs.
