Baucau

Baucau is Timor-Leste's second city, roughly 15 times smaller than Dili, though it feels more like a large, charming town spread across two levels. The old town — known as Vila Antiga — sits on a hilltop with Portuguese colonial architecture, the Old Market building (built 1928-1934, damaged in WWII, renovated in 2014 as a cultural center), and views down to the coast. The new town (Kota Baru) below is where most shops and transport are.

During the Portuguese period, Baucau was an important administrative center. The distinctive dark pink Pousada de Baucau (1950s), St Anthony Cathedral in its Fataluku architectural style, and the Calvario shrine with its spectacular coastal views give the town an atmosphere unlike anywhere else in Timor-Leste.

The star attraction is Piscina de Baucau, a spring-fed swimming pool widely considered the best in the country. Entry is just 50 cents. Avoid Monday and Thursday when the pool drains for maintenance. Japanese Tunnels from WWII, built with forced labor during a period when 40,000 Timorese died fighting the Japanese occupation, are another sobering and important site to visit.

South of Baucau, the town of Venilale (28km) features Portuguese colonial architecture, the Escola do Reino (1933), hot springs, Lake Baha-mori, and a natural bridge. Further afield, Mt Matebian at 2,376m is the country's second-highest peak — one of the toughest day walks in Timor-Leste, with 1,100m elevation gain and 3-5 hours up from Waiboro.