East Timor opening up

Created by doina. Last modified on 2002-09-23 14:34:34
Contributors: Colleen and Brian, s/v Theta Volantis,
Countries: East Timor, Indonesia

Very few yachts are visiting East Timor at present but that will no doubt change as things settle down. We found it a comfortable and safe place to be. Life ashore is lively and relaxed.

The anchorage area is adequate though the boats are close enough to shore for someone to swim out, but there was no reported crime while we were there. The amount of wreckage in the harbour makes you fear that your anchor will have snagged, but we had no problems. Dinghies can be left on a jetty owned by a floating hotel and are therefore under the scrutiny of the hotel guard.

At the time of our visit (September 2002) border control was not yet fully organised. We did check in with immigration and got a UN stamp in our passports. No visa is required. We also visited the harbourmaster who took copies of our papers but it was all very low key. There were no charges. Be aware that in time these procedures will inevitably change.