Tasitolu

Tasitolu, three waters, is a set of three saline lagoons on the coastal flat west of Dili, a protected area and the best birding site near the capital with migratory waders, ducks, herons and the endemic Timor sparrow using them. The lagoons shrink and expand with the season. Pope John Paul II said mass here in 1989 and a monument marks the spot on the hill above.

Background

The name means three waters. Of a wider area of 1,540 hectares, 700 hectares are protected, running from 0 to 403 metres above sea level around three permanent, shallow saline lakes. The wetlands are a Wetland of National Significance and an Important Bird Area with several near-threatened species. The Peace Park was designated on May 20, 2002, and two hundred trees were planted there on February 12, 2004, in a reforestation project with local residents. A traditional house about 400 metres from the central lake was built for the 1989 papal visit, and a 6 metres high monument to John Paul II, raised in 2008, faces the Cristo Rei statue across the Bay of Dili.

Source: Wikipedia, "Tasitolu"

Highlights

• The three lagoons - the saline waters the site is named for.
• The migratory waders - the flyway traffic using the shallows.
• The Timor sparrow - the endemic bird recorded at the site.
• The 1989 monument - the marker on the hill above the lagoons.

When to go

May to November is the dry season when the lagoons are at their smallest and the birds concentrate. The rains from December fill them. Early morning is best for birds.

Before you go

The site sits beside a main road and has suffered from dumping and encroachment. There are no hides or facilities. Water levels vary a great deal and the lagoons can be dry.

Nearby

Dili is east, and the airport is alongside.

Key facts