Indonesia is a remarkable chain of more than 17000 islands. A lot of tourists see only Bali, but the country is blessed with several awesome beaches, an abundance of wildlife, and a rich culture for all who explore deeper.

Few foreign visitors make it to Timor, but it is loaded with sights and activities, hospitable locals, and all of these can be experienced over a few days. visiting tribes in West Timor is an adventure that you should not miss. Read on for practical tips on how to do it.

Getting to West Timor

You can get direct flights from Bali and Jakarta to the capital of West Timor – Kupang. Garuda is the most dependable company that covers this route. As at the time of our trip, they allowed up to 20kg luggage. Worth noting there is also a flight from Maumere which makes a nice stop on the way from Bali.

Visiting Kupang

Kupang is arguably the most used transition point to other destinations. We were there for two nights as we wanted to try cave diving which was highly recommended.

The Swiss Belinn is the finest hotel in Kupang, but don’t expect too much. This trip is not a pampering trip.

The main local dish consists of cooked chopped up pork called Sei Babi. The town landmark is Depot bamboo Kuning.

The night market is also really interesting and has the freshest fishes. Interestingly, there is a Pizza Hut in Lippo Mall, which we were delighted to find after an entire week eating only local dishes during our expedition through east Indonesia.

 

Diving in Kupang

See our post on diving in Kupang here

Visiting tribes in West Timor

For a full off-the-beaten track experience, venture out to Lopo Mutis. It’s a 4-hour drive from Kupang, past Soe. You can find it on Google Maps. We were privileged to have met Mateo, the village chief, while we were attending the Bali indigenous dance festival, and he invited us to his village. And so we went. With a rented car and driver from Kupang, we spent a night in Soe and then proceeded to Lopo Mutis the next morning. The roads are terrible, and we regretted not renting a 4WD. We were very warmly welcomed by Mateo and his family. The entire village came out and immediately began a party, singing, and dancing. The welcome couldn’t have been warmer. It was a fantastic experience.

The people sell a range of lovely ikat, which constitutes their main source of revenue. Producing a single ikat can take several months, but the result is a grand piece of fabric that you can have tailored into the most unique clothes once you return home and a nice souvenir from visiting local tribes in Timor.

Mateo and his family now run a guesthouse, and so you can comfortably spend one or two nights in Lopo Mutis and take time to really enjoy that lovely village.

If you require more comforts such as air conditioning and hot water, you can stay at a hotel in Soe such as Bahaghia 2.

Air Terjun Oehala is a wonderful waterfall with viewing points on the way.

We also visited None when we were returning. A lot of tourists are usually taken to None. However, although the locals were warm and the traditional houses made interesting sights, we found it not as colorful as Lopo Mutis but is is still a very nice way of visiting tribes in West Timor.

It is the custom to bring a small offering of betel nuts (your driver should help you), and leave a small cash offering as well, while visiting villages.

You can reach Mateo Anin on +62 852 3989 0563 to announce your visit Lopo Mutis.

If you want to make it a longer trip, consider cave diving while in Kupang. Maumere, Komodo and Alor are also just a short flight away and are well worth a visit.

There is also good diving in East Timor. It is another country so getting there requires a long overland trip or a flight back via Bali

Have you been visiting tribes in West Timor? I’d love to hear from you! You can leave a comment below.