Dili

Dili, the capital of East Timor, located along the north coast, is a small tropical city which is characterised by its Portuguese colonial buildings. Located on the eastside of the port, the building of the former Chinese chamber of commerce is a typical colonial villa. The Governor's Office, built around the sixties, is the most imposing structure, with its large verandas. You can visit Igreja Motael's church by the sea, a Portuguese style structure bordered by banyan trees along the road to the lighthouse. There are, however, few monuments commemorating the Portuguese and Indonesian occupation: there is the memorial monument of Henry the Navigator which recounts the role of the prince in the region five hundred years ago; and there is the monument of integration which is an allegory of the Indonesian occupation represented by traditionally dressed Timorese breaking colonial chains. Local architecture is expressed in the traditional houses similar to those of Los Palos. One of the main attractions of Dili is the local market and the port and seafront are ideal places for a stroll, especially at sunset.