Maubisse

Maubisse sits at about 1,440 metres in the central highlands of Timor-Leste, some 40 kilometres south of Dili on the road to Ainaro, high enough that the mornings are cold and mist fills the valleys below, and the drive up from Dili climbs through hairpins with the coast falling away behind. The town is a market centre for the surrounding coffee-growing villages, and the slopes around it are terraced with arabica that ripens in the cool air. On a hill above the town stands a former Portuguese administrator's residence, the Pousada de Maubisse, now a simple guesthouse with one of the best views in the country, out over the ridges to the higher peaks; it stands where a Portuguese fort once stood, and some of the fort's foundations remain. The market, important to the whole district, draws people from the mountain villages, and the whole area is a window into highland Timorese life away from the capital.

What you'll find

• The Pousada hilltop - the former Portuguese residence and its panoramic view.
• Coffee terraces - the arabica slopes around the town, harvested from around May.
• The market - highland villagers and produce from across the district.
• The mountain drive - the hairpin road up from Dili through the ridges.

When to go

May to November is the dry season and the most reliable for the road and the views. Mornings are genuinely cold at this altitude, which surprises people arriving from the coast. The coffee harvest runs through the middle of the year.

Good to know

The road from Dili climbs through many bends. Accommodation is basic, and the Pousada is simple rather than luxurious despite the view. Facilities and food options are limited, and it is genuinely cold at night with little heating, so warm layers matter.

Nearby

Mount Ramelau, the country's highest peak, is reached from Hatobuilico further south; Dili is three hours north.