Request · free to ask
Homestays, a hostel, lodges and dive resorts
Atauro Island accommodation: where to stay on the island
Atauro lies about 25 km off Dili, the capital of Timor-Leste (East Timor), 2 to 3 hours by ferry. It is a small island, but there is a real choice of places to stay: family homestays, a backpackers hostel by the pier, two dive lodges with their own PADI dive centres and all meals included, and a hotel with air conditioning. We list the places that take bookings, with current prices and notes on which suits which trip.
By Tony Franklin, Founder · Updated September 2026
Quick answer: where to stay on Atauro
- No crocodiles have been reported on Atauro. Tap water is not safe to drink: use bottled water.
- Divers should book Atauro Dive Resort (from $88 a night, all meals included), with its PADI dive centre on site.
- Beloi Beach Hotel (from $110 per person a night) is the most upmarket option on the island, with air conditioning.
- Compass Atauro Lodge (from $120 a night) has glamping tents and villas on Beloi Beach, with all meals and a daily snorkel boat included.
- Family homestays in Beloi and Anartuto take bookings on Rezerva from $15 per person a night, most with meals included; ATKOMA quotes $15 to $25 for the inland villages (ATKOMA rates, Sep 2026).
- Mysaffy Atauro Island Adventures runs a backpackers hostel ($18 per person) and private rooms (from $35) a hundred metres from Atauro port, with diving, whale tours and Mount Manucoco hikes from the same crew.
- Ferries leave Dili at 08:00 from two different places: Berlin Nakroma ($4, Wed/Thu/Sat/Sun) from Porto Dili, Farol, MV Success ($5, Tue/Fri) from Kolmera, Dili. There is no Monday sailing.
Where to stay on a small island
Atauro sits in the Wetar Strait between Timor-Leste and Indonesia. It is about 25 km long with a volcanic ridge down the middle, and in a 2016 Conservation International survey its reefs recorded more fish species per survey site than anywhere else measured. Pygmy blue whales and large pods of dolphins pass on the annual migration.
There are no international hotel chains, only a handful of small, locally run places. Atauro Dive Resort and Compass Atauro Lodge both run PADI dive centres and include meals in the rate. Beloi Beach Hotel has air conditioning and hot showers. Mysaffy has hostel beds and private rooms a hundred metres from the pier. The family homestays are where many travellers remember most: dinner with the family, then a walk between villages the next morning.
Below are the stays you can book, grouped by the kind of trip each suits. Prices are in USD and come from each listing.
Where to Stay
Places to stay on Atauro
From family homestays to dive lodges with all meals included. The island is small, so you will meet most of the other people staying there.
PopularDive resort
Atauro Dive Resort
Beloi
From $88
/night
PADI dive resort on the beach at Beloi, with its own boat, gear rental and a house reef out front for snorkelling after a dive. Sea-view bungalows, garden rooms and dorm beds. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included in the nightly rate.
PADI dive centreAll meals includedWiFiDive boat + gear rental
Best for: Certified divers, dive courses, longer stays
Hotel
Beloi Beach Hotel
Beloi
From $110
/person/night
The most upmarket place on Atauro: twelve rooms with air conditioning and en-suite bathrooms, and a restaurant. It suits travellers who want home comforts on the island. Quiet grounds, a short walk from the ferry dock.
Air conditioningEn-suite bathroomsRestaurant12 rooms
Best for: Travelers who want AC, groups, short stays
Dive lodge
Compass Atauro Lodge
Beloi Beach
From $120
/night
Family-run dive lodge on Beloi Beach with glamping tents and deluxe villas. Breakfast, lunch, dinner and one boat snorkel trip a day are included in the rate, and the PADI dive shop is on site, a few steps from your bed.
Glamping tents and villasAll meals includedDaily snorkel boatPADI dive shop
Best for: Divers who want to sleep next to the boat
Hostel + private rooms
Mysaffy Atauro Island Adventures
Beloi · 100 m from Atauro port
$18 - $35
hostel per person; private rooms from $35
A backpackers hostel sleeping six at $18 a head, plus three private rooms from $35 (two en-suite, one with a shared bathroom), a hundred metres from where the ferry docks. The same independent Timorese crew runs the diving, snorkel boats, whale and dolphin tours, Mount Manucoco hikes and cultural walks, so one enquiry covers the stay and the activities. Bar and homemade ice cream on site.
Backpackers hostelPrivate en-suite rooms100 m from the portDive, snorkel & whale tours
Best for: Backpackers, divers, travelers who want stay and activities booked together
Community homestay
Village Homestays (ATKOMA)
Beloi, Anartuto and the inland villages
$15 - $25 / person
a night, most with meals
Stay with a family in Beloi or Anartuto: the homestays below take bookings on Rezerva, most with meals included. ATKOMA, the island's community tourism association, can also arrange stays in the mountain villages of Makili, Makadade and Bikeli. Rooms are basic, with a shared bathroom and usually no WiFi or hot water, and you live alongside the family for the length of your stay.
Local family stayTraditional mealsVillage walksCommunity-owned
Homestays you can book on Rezerva
Best for: Slow travelers, cultural experience, solo travelers
Coordinate via ATKOMA
Atauro accommodation compared
Beloi
From $88/night
Best for: Certified divers, dive courses, longer stays
Beloi
From $110/person/night
Best for: Travelers who want AC, groups, short stays
Beloi Beach
From $120/night
Best for: Divers who want to sleep next to the boat
Mysaffy Atauro Island Adventures
Beloi · 100 m from Atauro port
$18 - $35
Best for: Backpackers, divers, travelers who want stay and activities booked together
Village Homestays (ATKOMA)
Beloi, Anartuto and the inland villages
$15 - $25 / person
Best for: Slow travelers, cultural experience, solo travelers
More stays on Atauro
Choose by trip type
Which stay fits your trip?
Four common trip types and the accommodation that suits each. Atauro is small enough that you can also mix: a night in a village homestay, then a night near the harbour on the way back.
Budget
A family homestay (from $15 a person, most with meals) or a bunk at Mysaffy's hostel near the pier. Basic, but you eat what the family eats, and the reef is the same one everyone else swims on.
Divers
Atauro Dive Resort and Compass Atauro Lodge both put you steps from the boat and the house reef, with meals included. Mysaffy runs its own dives from the hostel near the pier. Dive packages with accommodation are the most efficient way to book.
Eco
The family homestays are the island's low-footprint option: solar power, local food, and your money goes straight to the family you stay with.
Comfort
Beloi Beach Hotel is the closest the island gets to a standard hotel, with AC, en-suites and WiFi. Good after a few rougher nights elsewhere.
Getting there
Ferry schedule from Dili to Atauro
Two public ferries run between Dili and Beloi on Atauro, giving a sailing every day except Monday. Both depart Dili at 8am and return from Beloi at 3pm. Tickets are paid in cash at the departure point on the day.
No same-day check for today
This is the usual timetable, copied from the APORTIL ticket-office board on August 30, 2026. Nobody has checked today’s sailings, so confirm at the port the day before you travel. Check APORTIL
Berlin Nakroma
Wed / Thu / Sat / Sun08:002 hrs 15 min
Dili port: Porto Dili, Farol
The larger government ferry, and the quicker of the two at about 2 hours 15 minutes. It leaves from Porto Dili in Farol, and tickets are sold for cash there on the day. Return leaves Beloi at 3pm.
MV Success
Tue / Fri08:003 hours
Dili port: Kolmera, Dili
The slower of the two, about 3 hours. It leaves from Kolmera, not from Porto Dili, and tickets are sold for cash there on the day. Return leaves Beloi at 3pm.
Buy ferry tickets at the port
Tickets are sold in US-dollar cash at each boat’s own departure point on the day: Porto Dili (Farol) for Berlin Nakroma, Kolmera for MV Success. There is no public online booking. Arrive at least an hour before the 8am departure, and confirm at the port the day before.
Before you go
Practical tips for staying on Atauro
Six things worth knowing before you go.
Bring cash
Almost nowhere on Atauro accepts cards. Bring enough US dollars from Dili for the whole trip: accommodation, meals, dives, boat charters, and tips. Small bills ($5, $10, $20) are better than $100s.
Ferry day matters
Ferries sail every day except Monday, so plan your days around them. If you miss the return boat, you wait for the next sailing or pay for a lodge boat, so keep a spare day before your flight.
Reef shoes, always
Most beach entries on Atauro cross shallow coral. Stepping on it damages the reef and cuts your feet. Reef shoes cost about $10.
Mobile signal is patchy
Telkomcel and Timor Telecom both work in Beloi. Coverage fades as you move inland or around to the west coast. Tell your family what to expect and do not rely on being contactable 24/7.
Check whether meals are included
At the family homestays, Atauro Dive Resort and Compass Atauro Lodge, meals are included in the nightly price. At Beloi Beach Hotel three meals a day are included. Compare nightly rates with that in mind: three meals a day adds up.
Stay at least two nights
Day trips from Dili are possible, but with only the afternoon on the island you miss the morning snorkel, the sunrise and dinner with your hosts. Stay at least two nights.
Atauro at a glance
Distance from Dili: about 25 km off the coast
Island length: 25 km north-south
Population: ~10,000 across villages
Languages: Tetun, Wetarese, Portuguese
Ferries per week: 6 (Berlin Nakroma and MV Success, none on Monday)
Best dive months: All year; clearest May to November
Whale season: Oct to early Dec
Currency: US Dollar (cash)
FAQ
Atauro accommodation: common questions
Common questions about staying on Atauro, from booking ahead to WiFi.
How much does accommodation on Atauro Island cost?
Family homestays are the cheapest, most with meals included. Mysaffy's hostel beds near the pier are the budget option without a family. Atauro Dive Resort, Beloi Beach Hotel and Compass Atauro Lodge are the lodges, and all three include all meals. Each card on this page shows the listing's current price, so compare like with like. Most places are cash-only (US dollars), so bring enough from Dili.
Which is the best place to stay on Atauro?
It depends on the trip. For diving, Atauro Dive Resort or Compass Atauro Lodge, where the boat and the meals are part of the stay. For air conditioning and en-suite bathrooms, Beloi Beach Hotel. For backpackers, Mysaffy's hostel near the pier. For island life, a family homestay.
How do I get to Atauro Island from Dili?
Two public ferries run from Dili, giving a sailing every day except Monday. The Berlin Nakroma (Wed/Thu/Sat/Sun, 8am, about 2 hours 15 minutes, $4) is the government ferry, leaves from Porto Dili in Farol and carries motorbikes and vehicles. MV Success (Tue/Fri, 8am, about 3 hours, $5) leaves from Kolmera. Both return boats leave Beloi at 3pm. Buy tickets in cash at the departure point on the day, and confirm at the port the day before.
Does Atauro have WiFi and electricity?
Limited and uneven. Atauro Dive Resort and Beloi Beach Hotel have WiFi and the most reliable power. Village homestays often have no WiFi at all and limited electricity (evenings only on solar). Mobile data works in Beloi but drops in the mountains. If you need to work from Atauro, stick to Beloi and choose a place with backup power.
Do I need to book Atauro accommodation in advance?
Yes, especially in the whale season (late October and November), June to September, and on weekends when Dili residents head over. Places are small and do fill up, so book at least a week ahead in the dry season. The homestays on this page take bookings on Rezerva; ATKOMA can arrange village stays on arrival, but pre-arranging is safer if you are only on the island a couple of nights.
Can I find places to stay in the mountain villages, not just Beloi?
Yes. ATKOMA (the Atauro community tourism association) coordinates homestays in Makili, Makadade, Bikeli and other inland villages. You eat with the family, can join them for weaving or walks between villages, and sleep in a simple room. Getting there from Beloi usually means a motorbike taxi or an arranged pickup. The homestays listed on this page start at $15 a person, most with meals.
What should I bring?
US dollars in cash (small bills; most places do not take cards), reef shoes (the beach entries are over coral), sun protection, insect repellent, especially for the March flies along the coast, a head torch for the homestays, and a refillable water bottle. Bring your own snorkel gear if you have it: you can rent for about $5 a day, but your own mask makes it easier to go in whenever you like.
Is Atauro safe?
Yes. Crime is rare, the community is close-knit, and operators look out for visitors. The real risks are sun, reef cuts (wear reef shoes), dehydration and biting March flies in the coastal scrub. There is a small health clinic in Beloi but no hospital; anything serious means evacuation to Dili.
Is there a road around Atauro now?
A new road from Beloi to Adara on the west coast was finished in mid-2025, and it takes about 45 minutes by 4WD or motorbike. The other villages are linked by trails and the odd rough track, and most travel between them is on foot, by boat or by arranged motorbike taxi.
Plan Your Atauro Trip
Everything else for Atauro
Guides, activities, and logistics for making the most of your time on the island.
Atauro Island overview
The full destination guide: beaches, villages, best time, and how to plan.
Timor-Leste diving
Atauro's record reef-fish counts, and how to dive them.
Dili airport transfer
From the airport to your Atauro ferry, one smooth transfer.
Best time to visit
Ferry conditions, visibility, whale season, and when to avoid.
Car rental
For the Dili end of your trip: onward travel before or after Atauro.
Travel guide
The full Timor-Leste travel guide library.
Book your Atauro trip
A morning ferry from Dili
Atauro suits divers, snorkellers, walkers, and anyone who wants a week of slow mornings on a beach without WiFi. Pick your stay and check the ferry schedule.