Exploring Oé-Cusse

Probably one of the least visited parts of Timor-Leste, Oé-Cusse is an enclave completely surrounded by the Indonesian province of West Timor. I spent a weekend there in August 2024 and loved its beauty, quietness, and cleanliness. In October 2024 I returned for a week with HAMNASA, the local NGO I was volunteering with, but had some spare time to hire a motorbike and explore outside of Pante Macassar, the main town in Oé-Cusse.

My first stop though was in Pante Macassar, at the very yellow Our Lady of Fatima Church, which somehow I’d missed on my first visit.

For unknown reasons there appear to be more representations of the Stations of the Cross in Oé-Cusse than in other parts of Timor-Leste, both crosses on paths, and paintings inside many of the churches.

Next stop was Lalisuc, the first settlement outside of Pante Macassar. Igreja São Migúel Arcanjo had quite an unusual design for a Timorese church.

Riding in Pante Macassar is a pleasure, with wide streets, no pot holes, and no traffic. I found the roads in the rest of Oé-Cusse rough, but on balance better than most municipalities in Timor-Leste. I rode up over 1,000m to the village of Lakufoan, close to the border with Indonesia, along challenging but manageable roads, with the steepest sections paved with concrete. There were some great views on the drive up.

A sister statue of the Virgin Mary to the one that tops Mt. Ramelau / Tatamailau was installed in 2017 at Leolbatan, by Lakufoan village. This is one of the major pilgrimage sites in Oé-Cusse with celebrations held on 13th May and 27th September each year. There are huge views from the top, reached by a short walk from the road end.

On my return I stopped at the remote village of Tukis to see their waterfall. Somewhat predictability the end of the dry season isn’t the best time to visit, as there was no water flowing! I enjoyed the landscapes from the drone though, and visited the village’s small cemetery.

Another church stop on the way, at Igreja St. Jose Oe-Lulan, where the leader of the local community let me in to look around.

Few more photos from the return to sea level.

I then headed over the Ponte Noefefan bridge to head to the western part of Oé-Cusse. This was quite a contrast from where I’d just been, with wide, flat, slippery, gravel roads which were more challenging than the mountain roads. I was hoping to reach Citrana, home to an interesting looking chapel, but stopped about half way with a flat rear tyre, which made the road even trickier!

I took the drone out for a better look at the landscape, and the interesting new houses being built with a standard design, before a slow and careful ride back to Pante Macassar.

A few days later I had time to head out for a morning hike. It was a semi-successful exploratory hike around the stunning Oé-Cusse hills. All the hikes in Oé-Cusse described online (of which there aren’t many!) involve heading up valleys to waterfalls. Walking toward the end of the dry season the waterfalls were often dry though, so I wanted to head up onto the hills instead. With a bit of local help I made it up and down one hill fine. The hills in Oé-Cusse are particularly crumbly and slippery, making descents difficult.

There was a larger hill ahead, but a lot of bush bashing was required to reach the base of it, though there were attractive open stretches.

I headed up a way for some views before turning around.

Finding a much more straightforward path on the way back!

I came out on the main road close to these beautiful flowers.

I also hired a scooter for the easy ride on good roads to the eastern border with West Timor. Igreja Católica São Pedro e Paulo was a moderately interesting church, with a colorful shop opposite, and traditional Timorese buildings next door.

It was a good spot to fly the drone though, looking along the beautiful coastline back to the craggy hills behind.

Just before the border with West Timor (marked with a large white tower that looks like a lighthouse, but is more likely to be an observation tower) is the lovely beach of Sukaer Mahon Marpari.