One of the easier hikes I’ve done in Dili as I cheated a little and rode my motorbike to the ridgeline to avoid having to walk up it from sea level!

It was a scenic ride to get to the start, as I headed around the rough Hera coastal road that runs close to Cristo Rei.

I then drove up a frankly terrifyingly steep and slippery dirt road to get up to the ridgeline… I was rewarded for my nerves with wonderful views of Hera in the early morning light. Hera is to the east of Dili and is home to the largest power stations in the country, which unfortunately runs on diesel.

From here I walked along a 4WD road at first which thankfully turned into a more interesting track. There were wonderful views both of the coastline and inland.

In the distance I could see the peaks of Hera, including Cacusa, which is topped with a shrine and a Hollywood style sign.

I did a bit of scrambling to get to the summit of Mt Airoma, which was about 220m above sea level.

It was wonderfully peaceful and quiet up in the hills, with no settlements (or dogs!), though I did see a bunch of locals collecting firewood.

I turned back to return the way I came once I reached the 330m summit of Mt Fatumanu. The views down the Hera valley were pretty epic. I drove back down along a thankfully slightly less steep road to the coast, through what was going to be the Pacific Resort until there were land ownership issues…

For the detailed route and logistical information please select this hike below (click top left for the list of hikes).