by Joe Lapp
Upfront caveat: The ocean is the ocean, and that means it can be wild and unpredictable. Dili Guide and the author bear no responsibility for accuracy of information or your own ocean experience. Inform yourself through multiple sources, make good decisions, keep safety a top priority… and most of all, have fun!
I SNORKELED FOR THE FIRST TIME in my life here in Timor Leste, three years ago, on the reef just off the Atauro ferry pier. Climbing unsteadily over the side of a blue fishing boat, I clung to the white plastic pipe that served as an outrigger and stuck my head under the surface. How fantastic! I was hooked.
While many expats who live in Dili scuba dive, you can see plenty of beautiful ocean life and lovely colorful corals from the surface at multiple established sites in and outside of Dili. No scuba gear needed. Best of all, most of the sites are walk-in – no boat needed, either!
Dili Snorkeling Information
After I got hooked on snorkeling at Atauro, I wanted to go all the time! I had heard there were places to snorkel much closer to home, around Dili. But the people I talked to had so much ocean experience, they didn’t realize that I needed very basic information to get started. And there wasn’t much info available online.
So I made my own snorkeling guide, now available on the Dili Guide website. Check it out!
You’ll find all the information you need to get started snorkeling in Timor Leste – an equipment list, safety considerations, information on known sites in Dili and within an hour’s drive east or west along the coast, and more.
Read on for some handy FAQs, then peruse the full guide at your leisure.
Dili Snorkeling FAQs
What equipment do I need?
You’ll need a good mask and snorkel, for sure. Reef booties are advisable, to protect your feet as you walk in and out; some people like to use fins. For those who want extra reassurance, a flotation device is nice. Click through to the Dili Snorkeling Guide to find suggestions for other things you might want or need, and places to buy them.
Where is the best place to snorkel in Dili?
Dili has three main snorkeling sites. Probably the easiest to start at is the Dili Rock / Tasi Tolu area. This site on the western edge of the city is easy to find and has a very nice reef. Best of all, entry is possible at any tide, and you don’t have to swim out very far to start seeing fish. Cristo Rei Frontside and Cristo Rei Backside are the other two sites. These have lovely coral and sea life as well, but you’ll have to make sure it will be a medium to high tide (recommended 1.2 meters or above), otherwise entry can be impossible because of exposed rocks. Click through to the full guide to learn more.
What will I see?
You’ll see some of the most beautiful reefs in Southeast Asia (though, remember, Timor is the only place I’ve snorkeled, lol), relatively unaffected by coral bleaching. There will also be colorful fish by the hundreds: butterflyfish, angelfish, damselfish, triggerfish, surgeonfish, engineerfish… Ok, that last one was a joke. If you get really lucky, you might see a dugong, squid, an octopus, a moray eel, a lobster, a ray, or something else super special. In any case, simply floating in the deep blue as you get rocked by the waves is usually relaxing and fun, just by itself.
How can I get to Dili’s snorkeling sites?
Each site listed in the Dili Snorkeling Guide has a link to Google Maps, and directions to help you find the entry point. You can get to sites on foot, if you really want, but that’s likely to be a long walk, so wheels are recommended. Two wheels are good: pedal or motorbike. If you have a car, that’s pretty easy. Or, you can take public transportation, like a taxi or microlet. In case you want to do an evening swim and beach sit, be warned that microlets don’t usually run in the evenings.
What is the best time to go snorkeling in Dili?
I snorkeled for the first time in a sea so calm it was like a pond. I thought the ocean was like that all the time in Timor Leste! But I soon learned better, that sometimes the sea is so rough I don’t dare put myself or my kids in it. For a good snorkeling session, you want calm water and good visibility: these two things often go hand in hand. The ocean is generally the calmest in October and November, when winds are light. Morning and evening are generally the calmest times of day. The rainy season (approx. December through May) can mean runoff that makes the water cloudy, or sharp showers that ruin your beach time. Experiment, talk to people with experience, keep an open mind, keep an eye on the tide and the currents, and if conditions aren’t good, come back another time.
What if I’m not comfortable in the ocean? What about my kids?
The great thing about the ocean is: the high salinity helps you float! Even if you can’t swim that well, floating is a natural thing when your body is submerged. But still, there’s no shame in using a flotation device, such as a life preserver you put on, or a life ring or buoy you tow along. Having a flotation device is helpful to rest on, or to help you float while you’re upright in the water, talking to your companions or adjusting equipment. Starting out, definitely put your kids in a life jacket, both to keep them safe and to give you peace of mind. And, if you’re a family or group, towing a buoy of some sort gives you an in-water meeting spot everyone can hang on to. Help kids and new snorkelers get acclimated to the water and to their equipment, and keep them close. If you are inexperienced or have young kids, stick to days with calm water, take it easy, and go out with others. Dili’s dive companies offer guided snorkel sessions – highly recommended for your first time out in Timor. Dreamers Dive is known for taking out expat families in particular. Click through to the snorkeling guide to find even more info.
I hope the information here and in the snorkeling guide is helpful. If you’re like me and you get addicted to seeing colorful things under the sea, feel free to explore all the sites and send feedback. Now, gather your equipment, make a plan, figure out your transport, stay safe, and go see some fish!
Dili Guide 
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