The Timor-Leste Pledge
A young nation, an ancient culture, and some of the last unspoiled reefs on Earth. Here is how we ask every visitor to help keep it that way.
As a guest of Timor-Leste, I make this promise to its people and its land.
- I will tread lightly on the reefs and the beaches, and take only photographs.
- I will honour what is sacred: the uma lulik, the ceremonies, the customs of tara bandu.
- I will ask before I photograph, and listen before I speak.
- I will carry my rubbish back with me, especially from the islands.
- I will travel the mountain roads with patience and care.
- I will spend with local hands: guides, weavers, cooks, and families.
I will leave Timor-Leste as I found it: unspoiled, and proud.
A promise to the people and the land of Timor-Leste
Six ways to travel with care
Small choices protect what makes Timor-Leste extraordinary. These are the ones that matter most.
Protect the reef
Atauro Island holds the greatest reef-fish diversity ever recorded, verified by Conservation International. Never touch, stand on, or collect coral. Cover up with clothing and shade first; where you need sunscreen, choose a water-resistant mineral one and apply it well before entering the water.
Honour the sacred
Uma lulik (sacred houses), ceremonies, and tara bandu customary law are living traditions, not attractions. Ask permission before you enter or photograph, and follow your host’s lead.
Leave no trace
Waste collection is limited, and on Atauro and Jaco there is almost none. Carry your rubbish back to the mainland, and refuse single-use plastic where you can.
Travel gently
The roads are winding, beautiful, and still developing. Drive slowly, give way to people and animals, and build extra time into every journey rather than rushing it.
Spend with local hands
Hire Timorese guides, eat at local kios — small family-run eateries — and buy tais directly from the weavers. The more your money stays in the community, the more tourism gives back.
Keep Jaco sacred
Jaco Island is sacred to the Timorese. No one stays overnight. Visit for the day, take nothing, and leave the island to the spirits as generations have before you.