Smokehouse Restaurant

Smokehouse Restaurant and Bar
Dili – East Timor

The Smokehouse Restaurant on the patio behind the Backpacker’s guest house is like an oasis in the desert with it’s peaceful vibe and mellow atmosphere.

It is hard to believe that you are in Dili when you are back there.

(It is near the Tiger Fuel – same side of the road going into town)

It has a funky Andy Warhol look and is a meeting place for most of the budget travelers visiting East Timor.

The Backpackers is really the only reasonably priced accommodation in Dili for those trying to stretch their dollars.

There is so much money flung around there by the NGOs and UN that the economy has little room for the backpacker on a budget.

This makes Dili an expensive place to hang out compared to Indonesia and Thailand and it can come as a shocker to a new arrival.

copy_of_atauro_200 The other guest house is near the stadium and is 3 dollars cheaper, but it is a bit run down and there is no air conditioning or hot water showers and the security is not as good. The owner is a cheerful local guy and he charges 5 dollars a night.

It’s located right next to the vegetable market, which is handy if you are doing your own cooking.

The Backpackers does have a full kitchen for use by the guests but if you’re not in the mood to cook you can order one of the specials from the smokehouse.

Useful information can be gleaned from the other travelers that are waiting for their visas or whatever.

Rita, the manager, is up on the latest news too and can organize bus tickets etc for you.

The flow of tourists seems to be starting again and some are getting a 60 day Indonesian visa.If this trend continues it would make it a worthwhile detour to spend a week in Dili. (Always check recent information about border closings etc.) Be aware that the situation can change overnight.

East Timor can be very interesting if you do a little research and want to get off the beaten path. You can explore the shores or escape to the mountains, but keep in mind that there are no tourist facilities in remote areas.

Going back to West Timor via Oecussi would definately be an adventure, especially if you could spend some time in the remote corners of this enclave.

Volunteer doctors from Dr. Dan’s clinic in Bairro Pita often stay at the guest house and share some great stories about the day to day madness in Dili.

When things went haywire in June of 2006 Henry had refugees camping out all over the place.

It was a good hearted thing to do because a lot of people had nowhere to go when their homes were destroyed.

Rita, manager of the restaurant and guest house, had to leave her home because it got too dangerous. Her house was trashed and everything was stolen or destroyed.

Henry built the girls a few air conditioned rooms out back to stay in so they wouldn’t have to travel late at night.

I developed a fondness for the place because for almost a month there were no other residents at the guest house.

Rita and Mia tried to teach me Timor dance but I am one uncoordinated goon and never really got it down. We had a lot of fun though.

(Timorese girls dance with a smooth elegance that is very appealing . They have a natural grace rather than a choreographed Brittany Spears pop act and are really a lot of fun to be with. Timorese guys are good too because dancing is a big part of their culture so they practice at family gatherings from an early age.