Happy TravellerWelcome to Baucau, the second-largest city in East Timor after Dili. Located in the eastern part of the country, Baucau has a population of around 16,000 people and is the capital of Baucau municipality. In the times of Portuguese Timor, Baucau was little more than an overgrown village, and for part of those times was called Vila Salazar, after the Portuguese dictator António de Oliveira Salazar.
Despite much of the infrastructure of the city and the surrounding area being damaged or destroyed by pro-Indonesian militia during the violence that followed the referendum for independence in 1999, there are still a few relics from the Portuguese colonial era in the old part of Baucau. Large colonial houses, churches, and public buildings can be found, as well as the Pousada de Baucau, a large pink hotel whose restaurant has views of the ocean. The shops, restaurants, and street market stalls (predominantly fruit and vegetable sellers) conduct business, although unemployment, particularly among the young, is very high. However, there are a few successful experiments that have converted old war-oriented businesses into light engineering, new businesses such as East Timor Roofing that has generated employment and training opportunities, and a number of small businesses are beginning in the areas of hygiene and health, food production and processing, transport, small retail, and tourism. The convent next to the Pousada de Baucau has a small retail outlet selling locally produced hand crafts.
Baucau is also home to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Baucau, one of the three Bishoprics in East Timor. It was founded on 30 November 1996, when the bishopric in Dili split. Its bishop is Basilio do Nascimento.
For transportation, six kilometers from the city lies the Cakung Airport (code IATA: BCH), a.k.a. LANUD for the local people. It has what is currently the country’s longest airport runway, as Dili’s Lobato International Airport can only serve small aircraft like the Boeing 737. It served as the country’s principal airport before the Indonesian invasion in 1975, when it was taken over by the Indonesian military.
Baucau is a city with a rich history and culture, and it is a great destination for those who want to explore the lesser-known parts of East Timor. Come and experience the charm of this hidden gem for yourself!