It didn’t take me long after flying into Kupang to realise that West Timor definitely got a heaped serving of natural beauty.
I made it my mission to explore some of the natural wonders of West Timor during my visit. So imagine my excitement when I learned that all of the sites I wanted to visit were free.
Yup! Totally free!
The budget traveller in me couldn’t wait for restrictive public transport schedules. Luckily, my friend Jeff, who was the reason I had visited Kupang, let me borrow his bike for a few days.
In this article, I’ll be addressing the following questions:
⭐ Is it safe to travel to Timor?
⭐ What language is spoken in West Timor?
⭐ Can you visit West Timor?
⭐ Is West Timor worth visiting?
Let’s go!
Natural Wonders of West Timor Number 1 – Mount Fatuleu/Gunung Fatuleu
I had decided that a hike up a mountain was the first thing I wanted to do. It wouldn’t be West Timor travel without a hike up Mount Fatuleu!
Gunung Fatuleu, or Mount Fatuleu in Oelbiteno, about 50km northeast of Kupang, was waiting for me!
The roads were good most of the way up, except for a 100m stretch. There it looked like the road had been attacked by jackhammers, leaving it in a very rocky and uneven state.
What Road Rules?
Even with the mostly decent state of the roads, riding up to the mountain was indeed an adventure.
It was a bit of a ‘free-for-all’ with cars, trucks, mopeds, and dirt bikes driving on the wrong side of the road at random intervals.
Obviously, solid lane markings are only suggestions to be ignored when you want to pass someone.
The drive was very tiring, which made it all the more lovely when I found myself on a deserted mountain road.
Finding Mount Fateleu – One of the Natural Wonders of West Timor
Thankfully, that would be the road I’d be on for what was left of the journey to Mount Fatuleu.
This new, empty and quiet road was so relaxing that I started riding along on autopilot.
Until I realised I’d driven right past the entrance to the mountain trail area. It wasn’t as obvious as one would think.
I should mention at this point that it had been misty for the entire trip up. I had been hoping that it would clear by the time I got to the mountain. It was not my lucky day.
I had stopped a few times en route when the mist had moved enough to see the top of the mountain.
Unfortunately, the mist managed to return to its perch on the mountaintop before I could get a picture of it.
You’ll just have to imagine that it was there!
Getting My Bearings on the Way to One of the natural Wonders of West Timor
After a quick stop at the park map, I found my way to the start of the trail up the hill. My map was telling me that it was only 400m to the peak.
I must admit, I was a little disappointed, as I was dressed for a proper hike, not a stroll!
In the beginning, the trail seemed to consist of your average run-of-the-mill stairs, but that escalated quickly into a chunky uneven concrete nightmare, that had me wondering what the workers who constructed it were drinking when they did it.
At least I was getting a workout!
Easy Trail to Hard Trail to No Trail
It seems the workers gave up when they hit a rock outcrop a little further up the trail and figured that if people made it that far, they were on their own for the last 200m.
That left me in the middle of the mist with no trail to follow. You’d think I’d turn back at that point, right? Not a chance! I found my own way through the rocky forest!
By the time I made it to what my map told me was the top, I was completely engulfed by the mist. I was quite glad when I’d made it back to the crosses at the rock outcrop, which indicated that the stairs were nearby and I’d be out of the mist momentarily.
If you’re looking for things to do in West Timor, consider giving this trail a try, but be warned that it gets tricky!
Natural Wonders of West Timor Number 2 – Goa Kristal/Crystal Cave
So onto another day and another adventure! My friend generously allowed me to use his bike again. This time, I headed to Goa Kristal, or Crystal Cave in Bolok, 20km west of Kupang.
On the way there, I ended up on a 4-lane highway that had a strip of land running through the middle of it, separating it into two 2-lane roads. I had figured that this was done to give both directions of traffic their own road.
I found out I was wrong when the occasional truck going in the opposite direction ended up on the same road as me. So it’s really just another Indonesian ‘drive where you want’ deal.
Turn Left at the Coast for More Natural Wonders of West Timor
At the end of the highway, I found myself on a road that followed the coast for a while, before making its way into the town of Bolok.
I had to ride through the town for a bit to reach the dirt road that led to the cave. I was lucky enough to see some local cows just hanging out, eating grass. The town also seemed very proud to be Christian. There were crosses on the side of the road throughout the town.
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Cows and crosses
After a short drive down the dirt road, my map was indicating that I was right near the cave, but I couldn’t see any signs to indicate exactly where it was. I did see a small trail that seemed to be going in the general direction I needed, so I followed it for a few minutes to a fence with a small gate that was locked from the other side.
I was hoping that I hadn’t gone all that way to be stopped by a fence!
While I was there, contemplating my next move, a young man appeared from nowhere inside the fenced area and began running toward the gate. My welcome wagon had arrived!
Unique Natural Wonders of West Timor – Getting to the crystal Cave
The young man, who introduced himself as Bo, enthusiastically welcomed me and beckoned for me to come in. Upon walking through the gate, I could see a cute handmade wooden sign, but still no cave.
Thankfully, Bo knew exactly where it was and had me at the cave entrance almost instantly.
The entry was so small that it’d be difficult to find unless you knew exactly where it was.
Bo then asked me and a family that had gotten there just before I did, if we wanted to go inside. You can imagine what my response was, but only one of the people from the family was eager to have a look.
I almost had a bat fly into my face on the way in, then heard some squeals behind me as the younger members of the family caught a glimpse of the bat.
Where’s the Lake?
After giving my eyes a second to adjust to the darkness, I realised that the lake was still a considerable distance below me and the ‘path’ down was full of slippery rocks.
It was totally worth it to see the lake close up and dip my hand in though!
Not long after I’d made it to the lake at the bottom of the cave and was letting the serenity of the place wash over me, I heard a huge splash.
Bo had jumped in for a swim!
As I hadn’t realised that swimming was allowed, I’d not brought a change of clothes. So sadly, I had to decline Bo’s invitation for a swim. At least he looked like he was enjoying himself though!
The Goa Crystal Cave may be tricky to find, but it’s so pretty it’s definitely worth its spot as one of the things to do in Timor. Just remember to bring a change of clothes!
Natural Wonders of West Timor Number 3 – Air Terjun Oenesu/Oenesu Waterfalls
Anyone that knows me is aware of the fact that I’m in love with waterfalls. I try to find them in each new place that I go to.
It was rather convenient that there was a small set of falls in Oenesu, about 20km southeast of Goa Kristal. There are plenty of things to do in West Timor!
Again, the road was good for most of the journey. Until I had to turn onto a bumpy dirt road about 5km before the falls.
My map was trying to guide me to an area that didn’t look very accessible. I decided to just keep following the road and eventually found myself in an empty parking area. I swear there was no one around when I entered the area.
As I got off the bike, there was, all of a sudden, a young man behind me asking for money to see the waterfall. I was a bit taken aback as all sources had told me that there was no entry fee.
It was at that moment that another young local appeared from nowhere and told the first guy not to charge me.
Natural Wonders of West Timor – Rocky Road to the Falls
My new friend, Raymond, decided that he would guide me to the falls and show me the secret viewing places.
This involved a bit of rock climbing, but I’m always up for a bit of an adventure!
The real fun started after seeing the falls. I saw a trail to the side of the falls and asked where it went.
Raymond advised that it went around the back of the falls and indicated that we should take it.
A Slight Detour to More Natural Wonders of West Timor
While we were on that trail, I noticed some fallen coconuts and may have professed my love for them. That caused him to say, “I can get you coconut. Would you like?”
So he took me to his house, which was nestled in the middle of a forest, where he proudly introduced me to his family. It was only a short stop so he could pick up his coconut carving knife.
From there we took a short walk through the forest.
As we walked along, Raymond would point out things and tell me the Indonesian words for them. After just a few minutes, he spotted the tree he was looking for. He wasted no time in climbing to the top to ‘shake down’ a coconut for me.
Shaking the Coconut Down
I had noticed that most of the coconut trees in the area had foot and hand holds carved into them at intervals. That’s what the locals used to climb up and down the trees and make it look like it’s the easiest thing in the world.
Once back on the ground, Raymond used his knife to open the humongous coconut for me.
As he handed me the freshly opened coconut, Raymond said, “Kelapu Oenesu”, which means Oenesu Coconut. After drinking the water from it, the coconut was chopped in half so that I could enjoy the delicious flesh inside.
My West Timor travel experience was going so well!
Natural Wonders of West Timor Number 4 – Sunset Over Sea
How do you end a wonderful day? With dinner and sunset at a highly recommended cafe down the road from the falls!
I’d actually planned to go to Cafe Tebing for lunch. I was disappointed to find it closed at 1 pm and didn’t open until 4 pm, just in time for dinner. Indonesians are so easygoing that they don’t even open their businesses at normal hours!
As with many places in Timor, this cafe is open-air, with a super relaxed atmosphere. Perhaps a little bit too relaxed when it comes to bringing out food in a timely fashion, but who’s going to complain when you get this view while waiting?
To say the sunset was stunning would be an understatement. I’d dare say this is possibly the best view in town. From almost anywhere in the cafe you have a panoramic view from port to coast. Make this one of your things to do in West Timor!
All Good Things…
Unfortunately, my time in Timor had to end.
On the day I left, Jeff cooked up a local delicacy, Pisang Goreng, or fried banana for breakfast.
And it was AMAZING!
I wasn’t the only one delighted with the meal! Apparently, Matt also loves this dish.
But Jeff only cooks it when people are visiting from overseas.
I’d say it’s worth a trip to Kupang just to try it.
After an obligatory picture, to remind us just how happy Jeff’s food had made us, I headed off to the airport.
And Now to Answer Your Questions
⭐ Is it safe to travel to Timor?
→→Yes. But you’ll have to be very careful if you decide to drive since locals don’t really abide by road rules.
⭐ What language is spoken in West Timor?
→→ Apart from the national language, Indonesian, the main languages of West Timor also include Dawan, Marae, and Tetun.
⭐ can you visit West Timor?
→→ Yes, and you definitely should!
⭐ Is West Timor worth visiting?
→→ Yes! There are many things to do in West Timor if you love nature. The best part is, they are free!
Next stop – Jakarta
You can find out more about the Natural Wonders of West Timor and things to do in West Timor on the West Timor Tourism site.
41 Replies to “Discover 4 Tranquil Natural Wonders of West Timor in Indonesia”
Your photos are beautiful! I would love to get here one day. I love to be by the water.
There’s something calming about water. I guess that’s why it features in so many of my photos!
Those stairs at the beginning are crazy! And it was so exciting to see your cave pictures, because my sons and I are about to start caving for a new hobby. Thanks for sharing such beautiful pictures!
That cave was great! I want to go caving in more places too!
Wow! What an adventure! And you have gorgeous photos as a souvenir!
My memory is quite crap, so the photos definitely help!
I always love looking through your blog posts. You do such a great job of setting the scene for us and taking us along with you for the journey.
Thank you so much for sharing and I hope you’re staying safe and well. x
Aww thanks! I appreciate the positive feedback and it made my day :o)
Hiking is my new travel at the moment, but I’m hoping to get back to travel sooner rather than later!
Omg your pictures are gorgeous! Thanks for sharing your videos too, it looked like it was such an amazing trip!
Thanks for the lovely comment. It certainly was a great trip!
This place looks great for a weekend getaway . It looks relaxing and I love to hike so I liked the pictures a lot.
It’s definitely an interesting place to visit.
amazing scenes in the photos…. are perfectly captured…. it seems had much fun while this awesome adventure…..
Yes. It was a great place to visit.
Beautiful pics! I would be terrified to go inside a cave with such a small opening, that too with bats inside it! Lake looks like emeralds and tempting to swim in! What an adventurous day for you!
Luckily, I’m not afraid of anything so I just charge into whatever adventure presents itself. It was so worth going inside the cave! :o)
Wow, what an adventure! Those are gorgeous photos! Looks like an amazing place to visit.
Yeah, it’s lovely. Moreso because there were no other tourists there!
Looks like quite the adventure. That hidden cave was an amazing find! I loved seeing your pictures.
The cave was a lot more awesome than I expected!
Oh my goodness what an adventure! Thank you so much for sharing this with all of us!
It was an interesting place.
West Timor is such a beautiful place – what a great way to be one with nature! <3
Yeah, it’s naturally beautiful.
Reading your blog posts reminds me of adventures in the Caribbean. I was salivating at the sight of coconut water and jelly (yummy and refreshing). Even the fried bananas are popular in the Caribbean.
I guess all tropical places would have similar foods, no matter where in the world they are.
That lake looks similar to cenotes I’ve swum in Mexico. Beautiful! Your photos are amazing as usual!
Oh cool. I’ll have to get back to Mexico one day!
This is like amazing! I love those stairs!
They were not fun to walk up!
That cave looks awesome! It’s so cool you can swim in there, hopefully you get to next time!
It was literally cool. Like several degrees cooler than outside :o)
Looks so beautiful! I love the nature somuch! incredible views. Mountains and fog are so special
The fog makes it look so mystical! But a little less fog would’ve been nice! Hehe.
Wow, what a great capture! Due to the clarity of your shots, that even the smoke and mists were captured, I could imagine here how beautiful the place is!
It looks absolutely beautiful there. Once all of this is over, I would love to go and visit there someday. Thanks for sharing these photos!
It was beautiful!
I’m certainly ready to travel again.
It looks so amazing out there. I would love to visit the caves. I haven’t been into one in quite some time. But I love the beauty of places like that.
I was trying to figure out a way to get to the caves actually! Unfortunately I didn’t have a boat.
I really loved scrolling through your photos! I hope to be able to visit someday, especially to see the caves and try the food.
It’s a good place to visit if you’re on a small budget and want to stay away from touristy stuff!