Dili and Timor Leste are yet to be fully understood as a tourist destination in the wider world but I enjoyed my time there and highly recommend people to visit. Dili is like any capital city and can be busy. There's lots of developments happening. There are good restaurants and cafes around and the beach always very close. Microlets make travelling easy and cheap, Only 25 cents per trip regardless of the distance or duration. Although it is not difficult to walk. Fresh fruits, and coconuts available to enjoy in many places. Carry cash especially smaller USD notes. The town is relatively safe and people friendly. Just make sure at evening you organised transport home as most microlets stop once dark and taxis can be hard to get. Rubbish pollution from plastic bottles and cigarette butts is a bit disappointing. Some great museums, good shopping plaza and other places to visit. Many church's and religious sites. Although to experience the Timorese culture properly like anywhere you need to travel outside the capital cities into other regions. Highly recommend a visit.

Dili is a good place, but I think government should impose laws to constituents that they need to tie their dogs , not roaming around the road, it Dangerous if it can bite , the rabies has no medicine treatment in East Timor.

Hard to be too critical of Dili, it was New Year’s Day and almost everything was closed until Friday 3rd. People are reasonable friendly in the street but beware of unscrupulous bus/taxi drivers who won’t hesitate to overcharge you!

Dili is expensive for an SE Asian city, left over expectations from when UN was in residence on New York wages. No Gojek, Uber etc, so local yellow taxis can try to price gouge if you don’t have tetum skills, blue taxis metered, ok. Get out of Dili to the mountains and coffee growing areas to get a good feel for Timor.

Don’t miss the Resistance museum, Santa Cruz cemetery and Christ statue. Good cocktails at Castaway bar. Dine at Sunset Inn ( booking essential Definately plan a trip to Araturo- excellent snorkelling .

Dili is a work in progress. Lots of building construction and road works mixed with dust, traffic of motor scooters, cars, minibuses, pedestrians all competing for space. Walking along footpaths can be hazardous as they can be very uneven with open grates and trip hazards including building rubble. The beach front has a nice outlook across the sea. A visit to the Resistance Museum was interesting yet sad, with an informative display on the Indonesian invasion in 1975 plus the following years of their occupation. People are very friendly and interested in where one is from, even asking to have their photos taken. They appreciate it when you try to say thank you and good day in the local language of Tetum which includes some Portuguese. To experience more of Timor-Leste, it would be good to travel out of Dili to other towns such as Baucau, Balibo and Same, all quite lovely with fresh air and villages. The main roads all across Timor-Leste have varying degrees of good to rough roads. Dili is definitely a place of change.