In the fall of 2023 we returned to Australia (although it was spring there!) to celebrate a couple of family birthdays, and to enjoy another Canadian Thanksgiving 15,000 km from Canada. And as the flags above indicate, we also visited Hong Kong, Timor-Leste, and Bali (where the featured photo of the gorgeous sunset at Uluwatu Temple was taken).
Although we always like to stop somewhere on the way there, on the way home, or both, we are rapidly running out of nearby countries and new stopovers. Since our extended family is in Perth, Australia, nothing is truly nearby; Indonesia is the closest country to which we can we can fly and it’s a 3-hour flight away. Flight stopover options include Hong Kong, Manila, Singapore, and Auckland which are all reachable from our home airport of Vancouver, Canada, but we’ve now been through all of those!
We did find a tiny country that we reached via an obscure routing; Timor-Leste. If you’ve never heard of it then you’re not alone. One of only 4 new UN countries admitted in the 21st century (as of 2023). It’s also firmly on the list of “Least Visited Countries of the World”. Sounded intriguing, so we spent most of a day flying there via Darwin to check it out. No new stopover option to and from Perth though; we went via Bali again. Luckily, we didn’t get stranded by a volcanic eruption again as we did in 2018. Just had dinner on the beach, lazed in the pool, and saw the Kecak Fire Dance at Uluwatu.
Posts for this trip:
Country Count Updated to 122
Jimbaran and Uluwatu on Bali
Dili, capital of Timor-Leste
Visiting Atauro Island, Timor-Leste
A visit to Australia…and Denmark!
Getting past Australian immigration
Australian Coffee Culture
A consultation with an AI oracle about Timor-Leste:
https://you.com/ chatbot info:
Visiting Timor-Leste?
If you are planning to visit Timor-Leste, also known as East Timor, there are a few things to consider before you go. Here are some tips:
- Check the CDC page for any travel health advisories related to your trip.
- Prepare a contingency plan for any emergency situations that may arise during your visit.
- Review the latest FCDO travel advice for Timor-Leste which includes entry requirements, safety and security, and local customs and laws.
- You must pay an entry fee for a visit of up to 30 days.
- If you wish to extend your stay, you can apply to do so past the 30-day limit.
- Be aware of your surroundings at all times, and exercise caution when walking or driving at night.
- Avoid crowds and demonstrations, and keep your travel documents up to date.
- Timor-Leste is generally a safe travel destination, but it is important to take extra precautions and try to avoid being out at night.
In terms of things to do in Timor-Leste, there are several options for tourists. These include spectacular diving spots, unspoiled scenery, beautiful beaches, and breathtaking biking trails. You can also visit historical sites, such as the Santa Cruz Cemetery, which commemorates victims of the Indonesian invasion in 1991, or the Resistance Museum, which highlights the country’s history of struggle for independence.
Why is Timor-Leste one of the world’s least visited countries?
Timor-Leste, also known as East Timor, is one of the world’s least visited countries because it is a relatively new country that just gained independence from Indonesia in 2002, and it is located in a remote and isolated part of Southeast Asia. Additionally, the country may not be as well-known for tourism as some of the more popular destinations in the region. However, Timor-Leste has many natural and cultural attractions that are worth exploring for adventurous travelers.