Not to miss

Dili

Wander the waterfront, talk to the locals and you may be surprised to find Dili has a laid-back, small-town openess. This welcoming feel starkly contrasts with the news-reel imagery of political unrest we often associate with this capital city.

Until the Indonesian takeover in 1975, Dili was the capital of the former colony of Portuguese Timor, and it still has the feel of a tropical Portuguese outpost. Badly damaged during the Indonesian mayhem in 1999, transitional elevated prices have gradually spiralled back to more sensible levels.

The Dili region has several good beaches, with decent snorkelling below the headland. The most popular area is the sheltered cove of Areia Branca, also known as Pasir Putih (or 'White Sands' in English), about 3km (1.9mi) east of Dili town. Atauro Island - visible from the waterfront - is easily accessible by boat, including a ferry service once a week which gives you several hours on the island, and time for a look around and a swim.

Heading west from Dili, along the beautiful coast road, there are some good beaches, and fruit and fish stalls at intervals along the road. Liquica, an hour away from Dili, was the site of a massacre in the church in 1999 and is gradually recovering. There's a black-sand beach with some welcome shady trees.

Baucau

Baucau, the second-largest town in East Timor, is still charming, despite the ravages of 1999. The two-hour drive east along the coast from Dili via Manatuto is gorgeous, with clear water and beaches along the way

Cape Fatucama

This magnificent crescent of coast is sprinkled with restaurants and bars, as well as charming grottos and beaches. Fabulously kitsch concrete clams shade Areia Branca beach - watched over by the giant Jesus statue a further 1km (0.6mi) along. Styled after Rio's Christ the Redeemer, Fatucama's Jesus lords over turqoise bays backed by green-covered mountains.

The climb to the top passes 14 grottos - representing the Fourteen Stations of the Cross.

Com

The small fishing village of Com is becoming a popular weekend getaway from Dili. There's good fishing and snorkelling, although the only beaches are just beyond the pier or just before you enter the village. The 20 simple rooms of the shell-encrusted Com Beach Resort comprise the mainland's only beachside resort.

Atauro

The idyllic island getaway of Atauro is visible from Dili, but a world away. It's home to a close-knit community of around 8000 people, mostly subsistence fishers and farmers. The island's eco-lodge, Tua Koin, provides traditional thatched-hut accommodation. Roll out of bed and into the sea, with world-class snorkelling.

All profits fund community projects, such as schools.