In October 2024 I spent a few days in Atecru, a beautiful village on the west coast of Atauro Island.

I was there to help the remote community (lacking roads or mains electricity) with a funding application for solar panels and water tanks. This involved me visiting all 52 houses in Atecru, some home to multiple families, to understand their water and power situation. Almost none had any water tables for storage, and many of the wells and bores were near dry. There is plenty of rainwater during the wet season so every house having their own tank would help.

Most houses had small solar panels given by the government but due to their size and condition they didn’t generate much power. Also as many as 9 people in one house share a single solar panel.

This is the only shop in the village. The next nearest is a 2 hour hike uphill!

To cool down after three hours walking around the village I went for a snorkel. Atecru has one of the best reefs in Timor-Leste, with a short swim out to a huge drop off, with large schools of fish by a wall that feels like being on the edge of the abyss, quite an experience. These photos really don’t do it justice.

This drone photo gives a better idea…

It was a wonderful place to explore from the air, as the tides and sunlight came and went.

In the late afternoon I headed to the west of the village.

Up to the The Singing Rock, a seemingly hollow large rock.

I also visited Aleti-Tunu Bibi, a cave that has been used as a shelter for at least 18,000 years, and is home to 8,000 year old rock art. Unfortunately not is left of the rock art after religious zealots decided that it was pagan and lit fires that destroyed most it.

A few more shots from around the village.

And from the air…