Oé-Cusse

Why visit?

Oé-Cusse is an enclave completely surrounded by Indonesian West-Timor. It was the first place that the Portuguese established themselves on the island of Timor, and was the capital of then East Timor from 1702 to 1767. Due to frequent attacks by the Dutch, the Portuguese moved the capital to Dili. Now it is a Special Administrative Region accessible from the rest of Timor-Leste by overnight ferry, plane and road. It is little visited, even by Timorese standards, but is a peaceful place with a number of low-key sights, including impressive infrastructure for a 2,700sqm² municipality with a population of around 80,000 people thanks to government investment as a Special Zone of Social Market Economy of Timor-Leste (ZEESM). Pante Macassar is the main / only town in Oé-Cusse, and peaceful and quiet place to relax by crystal clear waters backed by stunning mountains.

Top three experiences

Walking the Via Sacra Trail behind Lifau for the best views of Pante Macassar
Exploring the historic prison and more recent shrine at Fatu-Suba
Relaxing in Pante Macassar, one of the cleanest, quietest, and most beautiful towns in Timor-Leste

Top places to stay

Amasat Hotel, Pante Macassar (+670 7723 2351)
Irmãs Dominicanas, Pante Macassar (+670 7717 3176)

Top places to eat and drink

Amasat Hotel, Pante Macassar (+670 7723 2351)
Naleok Bou Ali, Pante Macassar
Nivioty Sae Restaurant, Pante Macassar (+670 7551 1059)
Restaurante Lacmeta Oan, Pante Macassar (+670 7630 0422)

Sights

Lifau Monument – Just beyond the western end of the airport is where Portuguese explorers first landed on Timor Island in 1515. Originally marked by a pillar with Portuguese emblems (still standing to the west under a huge tree), the site was expanded in 2015 with a replica of a caravel and six golden figures re-enacting the first encounter. There was once a Portuguese Fort on the site, the first they built in Timor, but it was razed in 1769 and only an old piece of artillery remains. The beach at Lifau can be a popular spot to picnic and swim. To the west of the monument site is the first of 14 Stations of the Cross marking the start of the Via Sacra Trail. This is a reasonably steep in places 30 minute walk uphill which offers possibly the best views of Pante Macassar. Every Good Friday thousands of people follow this trail. Also to the west of the monument site are beautiful rice fields surprisingly close to the sea, whose scale can be best appreciated from the Via Sacra Trail.

Fatu-Suba – On a hill behind central Pante Macassar are the remains of the old Fatu-Suba prison and the residence of the Portuguese Regional Administrator. A statue of the Virgin Mary was added during the Indonesian occupation, to which a pilgrimage takes place every May. Fatu-Suba is a good place to view Pante Macassar below and is a popular place to watch the sunset, though getting a clear view can be challenge. Just before Fatu-Suba is an observation deck shaped like the front of a ship. From the waterfront it is a 20-30 minute walk to the top of the hill, along pavement on the flat, and a reasonably steep and rough road up the hillside.

Dominican Missionary Sisters Women’s College (Irmãs Dominicanas) – One of the first Catholic schools for women opened during Portuguese colonial times, this has beautiful gardens, and it is possible to stay there. Café Dominican at the southern end is a lovely place to relax and enjoy a drink or ice cream.

Rotunda Rotunda de Ambeno – An unusual blue and white monument marks this roundabout. On the corner is the impressive, but half built and seemingly abandoned administrative building of Oé-Cusse. Koreans and Portuguese were involved in the development, which fell apart during Covid times.

Korean Memorial – Opposite the old harbour lies a memorial to five UN peacekeepers from Korea who died on 6 March 2003 when their vehicle was swept away while crossing the Ekat River in south Oé-Cusse. The memorial is in the shady and peaceful Parque Memorialda Korea Evergreen Force.

Bersejarah Monument – A somewhat mysterious monument opposite the Parque Memorialda Korea Evergreen Force, which has seen better days but is well situated underneath shady trees.

Kumando – Opposite Pante Macassar’s waterfront, this former Portuguese colonial administrative building is mostly ruins now, but is an atmospheric place to explore.

Estatue Nossa Senhora (Statue of Our Lady) – Lies opposite Kumando in an open air area by the waterfront.

Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Rosário (Church of St. Antonio) – Built by the Portuguese in 1965, this is an attractive red and white church on the waterfront close to Kumando. It is particularly important during Easter, when a massive procession follows a life size statue of Jesus’ body that is carried on a special platform.

Chapel of St. Anthony of Nispeno – The second most important chapel for Catholics in Oé-Cusse, where the saint is celebrated every year on 13^th June.

Cave of Santo António Polsiba (Gruta St. Antonio) – The holiest place in Oé-Cusse, this small shrine is located to the east of Pante Macassar at the foot of a hill, represents where Saint Anthony is understood to have first appeared. It is reached by a small bridge from the road.

Cemeteries – Next to Oé-Cusse Hospital is Santa Rosa Cemetery, the largest in Pante Macassar. At the back of the town, on the way to Fatu-Suba, is the smaller Chinese Cemetery.

Numbei Market (Mercado Oecusse) – The main market in Pante Macassar is open every day but is at its busiest on Saturdays. It is atmospherically labyrinth like to explore. It is also home to the Pante Macassar bus terminal where microlets (small local buses) can be caught to other parts of Oé-Cusse.

Ponte Noefefan – Opened in 2017, this $17m, 380m long bridge over the Tono River is largest in the country. It provides access for half of Oé-Cusse to Pante Macassar. Previously around 3,600 families were isolated for much of the wet season by the raging river. It is formed of three green spans.

Oé-Cusse International Airport – This modern international airport opened in 2019 at a cost of $119m. It has a longer runway and better equipment than Presidente Nicolau Lobato International Airport in Dili, but a fraction of the passengers. Until early 2024 it was only served by light aircraft operated by ZEESM. Since mid-2024 it has been better served by Aero Dili flying twice times a week. By the side of the airport is a rather forlorn looking arch marking Jardim dos Heróis e Mártires da Pátria. There are similar aches in Dili, Maliana, Laga, Larigutu, Same, and other parts of Timor-Leste. These ‘Garden of Heroes’ commemorate Timorese who died during the resistance struggle against the Indonesian occupation.

Oe-Poto Mud Geysers – One and a half hours’ drive along rough roads south of Pante Macassar, in the central highlands, lie the Oe-Poto Mud Geysers. They are best visited during the wet season (January to April) when there is more boiling mud. Expect minimum facilities or protection from the geysers, but seeing mud boil is quite a surreal experience. Oe-Poto means the sounding of the water / mud that gushes out with a loud bang, especially during the rainy season. The local community believe that the boiling mud is the breath of their ancestors.

Nossa Senhora Leolbatan – A sister statue of the Virgin Mary to the one that tops Mt. Ramelau / Tatamailau was installed in 2017 at top of the mountain by Lakufoan village. It is one of the major pilgrimage sites in Oé-Cusse with celebrations held on 13^th May and 27^th September each year. To reach it involves driving 1.5 hours south east, and stopping close to the border with Indonesia. Close by is Mt Nunus, also known as Fatuk Cobra, as from a distance it looks like the head of a cobra.

Citrana – An hour west of Pante Macassar, Citrana is a village home to an interesting church built in traditional Timorese style, a pleasant coastline, and a large betel nut plantation where a harvest festival is held each September.

Hiking

The Nu’uba’u – Fonte Sagrada Trail is a 3 hour walk through a river system (expect to get wet feet!) to a beautiful waterfall. Along the way are a variety of plants, communal vegetable gardens, caves and sometimes monkeys and tropical birds. It starts about 30 minutes south of Pante Macassar. Ceremonies honouring the spirits of this sacred place are held every year in March / April. A guide is required to undertake the walk as permission is required from the local community. More details are available on the Visit Oé-Cusse website.

The Waterfalls of Cutete Trail is a lovely 3 hour return walk up a river system (wear decent shoes), ending at a waterfall. For a longer hike (10km one way, climbing 700m) continue onto the village of Cutete. A guide is required to undertake the walk as the way is not clear and it is easy to get lost. Most of the hike is in the shade, but if continuing on to Cutete the final section is steep and in the sun. There are no settlements and barely any people to be seen for the whole hike. A camping site has been established in Cutete for those interested in spending the night there. Note that transport back from Cutete can be tricky. Despite having a guide helping to organise the hike, the author spent 3.5 hours waiting for a local bus for the hour drive back to Pante Macassar.

The Pais-Bisae Sunaf Trail is an easy 2.5 hour return walk to a summit close to the border with Indonesia, offering panoramic views. It starts an hours’ drive from Pante Macassar and a guide is required.

The Maombelon waterfall is short but moderately challenging 45 minutes hike a little south of Pante Macassar. A local guide is required and it is best visited during the wet season to see the waterfall in full flow.

The 1,259m high Mt Sapo is the highest point in Oé-Cusse though it is rarely climbed.

Snorkelling

Most of the Oé-Cusse coastline is good for accessing the sea and swimming. There are four main snorkelling spots:

St. Rosa Reef, the most central reef, just west of the old harbour

Aosnak Beach (Pantai Mahata), 2km east of Pante Macassar, the reef is just offshore at low tide, though visibility can be variable

Sakato Beach, 16km east of Pante Macassar (20 minutes by vehicle), is home to one of the best reefs in Oé-Cusse, from 20m offshore

Lifau Reef, at the end of the airport with good corals but some strong currents

Getting there

Overnight ferries (taking about 13 hours, cost $15) travel between Dili and Oé-Cusse during the week, and it can be possible to pay extra to hire one of the crew cabins to get a bed for the night. Aero Dili fly to Oé-Cusse on Fridays only unfortunately. Note that despite it being a domestic flight photo ID is required at check in. There are many Tum-Tums (electric tuk-tuks) waiting to collect passengers. Travelling overland you need to be careful with visas and may need to pay $35 for Indonesian entry and exit visas at each border.

Getting around

The central sights can be explored on foot, but reaching Lifau is a long and dull walk. Pante Macassar is a very spread out town, with little shade, so best explored using the frequent Tum-Tums. These cost 50c per trip per person and basically operate as shared taxis, just let the driver know where you want to go. Unlike Tum-Tums in Tibar or microlets in Dili, tapping a coin on the inside doesn’t appear to stop the drivers, you have to let them know that you want to get off.

Another option is hire a bike from Oé-Cusse Bicycle Rental (+670 7663 9442), which is located relatively close to the markets to the west of the town centre. Rates (in 2024) are $1 per hour, or $3 for 24 hours. Pante Macassar is basically flat, but it may be hot work cycling around. Reaching Fatu-Suba by bike is possible, but it is a rough and steep road to climb. You may be able to hire a motorbike through your accommodation to explore further afield. The roads outside Pante Macassar are rough and require 4WD vehicles. If you enter Oé-Cusse overland or by ferry you may be able to bring a vehicle (but check what permits are required for overland crossing), otherwise local tour operators can assist with transport.