One of my favourite of Timor-Leste’s 13 municipalities, Baucau stretches from the northern coast down to Matebian, the second highest mountain in the country. It is home to Timor-Leste’s second city, also called Baucau, which I’ve already written about, but I’ll revisit some of the highlights in this post. There is too much to cover here, so the incredible trip between Laga and Baguia will be a separate post.

Baucau’s stunning Old Market was built by Portuguese between 1928 and 1934, as part of a grand master plan for the town. During WW2 it was partially destroyed before being rebuilt in the 1970s. It then fell into disrepair before being renovated in 2014 as a cultural centre. It is a quite stunning building and has some of the loveliest formal gardens to be found in Timor-Leste.

Not many places are best known for a swimming pool, but Piscina de Baucau is the best in the country, though there isn’t a huge amount of competition to be honest. For 50c you can enjoy this spring fed gem from the Portuguese era, built by the Pousada. As long as it isn’t a Monday or Thursday, as on those days they drain the pool…

Pousada de Baucau is one of the most famous hotels in Timor-Leste. It was built in 1950s and is a rather fetching shade of dark pink. There are newer accommodation blocks to the side and behind the original hotel building.

Between Baucau and Watabo beach is the wonderful daTerra Agroecological Farm, which is next to terraced fields.

Watabo Beach is a picturesque palm lined beach, which you should stay on, as crocodiles can often be spotted swimming by. The road to the beach from Baucau is winding but fine. The road along the coast by the beach is much rougher, and washed away in one place, preventing cars from travelling further. This arch is a well known sight close to the beach.

On the eastern edge of Baucau, lies Seroja Military Cemetery Baucau, one of two Indonesian Military Cemeteries (the other is in Dili, opposite Santa Cruz Cemetery). Originally there were 15 cemeteries around Timor-Leste, but they were consolidated to two to make them easier to maintain. There are around 300 graves, 255 relocated from Seroja Tiulale Heroes Cemetery.

Vemasse is the first town in Baucau after crossing the border from Manatuto has two sights of potential interest. Our Lady of Grace Church Vemasse is a pleasant church that has seen better days.

On the hillside above the town are the remains of a Portuguese era fort. Only the base of the fort remains but it offers great views over the surrounding landscape and the Vemasse River.

It would be easy to drive through Gariuai on your way to Venilale or Viqueque but there are a couple sights of potential interest. The dark yellow church is one of the more unusual in a country full of churches.

Gariuai cemetery is vast, and one of the most scenically located in Timor-Leste, with great views of Matebian in the distance.

Between Baucau and Venilale, are a number of tunnels were dug by the Japanese during WW2, using forced local labour. During WW2, 40,000 Timorese died fighting the Japanese, one of the forgotten conflicts of the Pacific campaign. The tunnels were also used during as hideouts for Timorese independence fighters during the Indonesian occupation.

About 9km north of the main set of seven connected tunnels is a single tunnel at the side of the road revealed during recent road construction.

Venilale is a pleasant small town about 28km south of Baucau (about an hours’ drive), which is home to Portuguese colonial architecture, along with rice fields and terraces. During the Portuguese colonial era Venilale was a popular mountain retreat to escape the heat of the coast. The colourful old royal school (Escola do Reino) was one of only two public schools in the country when it opened in 1933, and was attended by both Xanana Gusmão and José Ramos-Horta. During the Indonesian occupation it was an orphanage. The school is now used as a school but the building has seen better days. It was last restored in 2005, by the Portuguese.

Opposite is the main Venilale Catholic Church.

Local markets are held at the other end of town on Wednesday and Saturday mornings.

On the coastal drive from Baucau to Laga look out for an attractive collection of Uma Lulik traditional sacred houses on a cliff top with the twin peaks of Matabian in the distance.

To finish with a few more sights from travelling the roads of Baucau.