The weather hasn't been in my favour for much of this journey, but Timor-Leste doesn't fail to impress me. Returning to Dili, I make sure to rest up and get some good food before the next leg of my journey. Ataúro Island is regarded as being one of the world's most biodiverse islands as well as being a largely untapped market for scuba diving and snorkelling. Early yesterday I got a microlet to the ferry terminal and I did as many Timorese do: hang on the outside of the microlet when there are no empty seats. Locals even sit on the roof if need be. The ferry was supposed to leave at 7 AM but it didn't leave until after 8 AM.
The Timorese are experts at making themselves at home on the ferry: bringing food, finding a spot to rest, and allowing their kids to run amok. I did that as well, using my backpack as a pillow and enjoying a few cups of coffee. I was thinking of pitching my tent upon reaching Ataúro but I thought I'd look for a homestay. If you ask, many homestays will allow you to pitch your tent on the property, thereby saving a few dollars. I ended up at the home of a local named Estevao. He charged $15 per night for a room and $5 for dinner, but he put up a mosquito net under an outdoor covering where I could roll out my sleeping mat. Excellent! I didn't have to get my tent out and I save $10. Barry's Place is perhaps the most well known place on the island, so I went there for a buffet lunch. Barry is Australian and I wanted to meet him but he is currently in Dili. There is also a geocache just outside of the property but is, not surprisingly, missing. For much of the afternoon it rained, and the sky was ominous.
Ataúro is extremely rugged; Mount Manucoco, at 999 metres above sea level, is its highest point. With a relative lack of rivers and streams, conditions are excellent for diving and snorkelling. Much like everywhere else in the country outside of Dili, tourist infrastructure is practically nonexistent.
Now that I'm here on Ataúro, the only area of Timor-Leste I've yet to visit is Oecussi, but I'll probably go there in a few days. As I sat over a filling Timorese dinner and a coffee whilst it rained and rained, Estavao gave me some ideas on where to snorkel and where to go whilst here. If the rain will let up I'd love to do as much as I can on this magnificent island.
