With the hassles of working life and all the tiresome news of credit crunches and financial woes, quite often, you may feel like escaping from all the stress and taking some time off. There's no better remedy than to escape to a resort and relax and there's no better place to do that than in East Timor. East Timor is within Timor, an island that is almost the size of Netherlands and it forms an arc between Asia and Australia situated within the Nusatengarra Archipelago. East Timor covers an area of approximately 15,007 square kilometres and has a population of about 900,000 with Tetum and Portuguese as the official languages. The cities present here include Baucau, Ermera and Dili which is the capital city. This small country is easily navigated either by bus since there are no domestic flights within East Timor.



There is plenty to do when you are in this small country and therefore you need a significant duration of time to go through them all. There is the State Museum of East Timor that was founded in 1995 with one-tenth of its collection still surviving. The collection includes religious wood carvings, wood figures, traditional crafts, musical instruments and paintings. In spite of the devastation it has incurred, visitors can enjoy the charm of Baucau, the second largest city in this astonishing country. Portuguese colonial architecture and caves used by the Japanese during the occupation in World War II is what this city boasts of. If you want to have a relaxing moment, you can go to the beach outside Dili where there are multiple beaches with Areia being the most popular. You will have the finest coastal views as you take the four-hour journey to Baucau from Dili. Oecussi province has a little town that lies between the coast and mountains and offers the opportunity for diving. This is because of the coral reefs off the nearby coast where you can also do other water sports like snorkelling.

Head for Com, a beautiful fishing village that is popular for weekend getaways and the main activities here are fishing and snorkelling. Fatsuba is a notable reminder of the Portuguese period, with an old garrison that overlooks the town of Pantamakassar from a hill. In front of the mountain is a courtyard with a little coral grotto which houses a statue of the Virgin Mary. You can also visit the 17th century fort in Maubara. The fort was once a prison and has a substantial coastal wall with cannons pointing out. Discover abundant colonial architecture in the capital city along with a Portuguese castle dating from 1627.

Enjoy the various delicacies present in this country with rice and spices being the staple food. In Dili, there are restaurants and cafes that prepare western cuisine to cater for the foreigners living and working there. The nightlife in East Timor is average with bars and nightclubs in cities like Dili and most of them are on the beachfront. All of these clubs are open late and serve food as well as drinks. You can try the Poy Cholor for food served till five in the morning, a live band and a DJ. If you are looking for something more adventurous, then the Caz bar hires kayaks for late night fun, with a barbeque cooked fish. Accommodation is very expensive and limited in terms of hotels especially for individual travellers. There are youth hostels and self catering apartments at cheap and affordable prices. Take a trip to East Timor anytime and you will not forget it.

Your nightlife could be rocked from a choice varying from Las-Vegas style revue, discos and casinos to a quiet caf? by the sea in Santo Domingo. Hotels offer more traditional shows like folk music and dancing. Concerts and cultural events are often held at the Casa de Francia and Plaza de le Cultura.

In the Dominican Republic, you could swim with dolphins in Manati Park; encounter a more dangerous type of wild life on the Cabritos Island; wander in awe along the miles of the beautiful unspoilt beaches of the Atlantic coast; dive to astonishing variety of sites around the island like Cabrera; go offshore fishing at Boca de Yuma; get wet by white water rafting and tubing on Rio Yague del Norte; do some cascading; conquer the highest mountain in the Caribbean by hiking and climbing Pico Duarte; play golf in the world's best courses or visit the shops and get yourself amber jewellery and decorative pieces, larimar or Dominica tuquiose and rocking chairs could be made. Bargaining is also recommended.

Most visits to the Dominican Republic are trouble free. Crime against tourists is rare but care should be exercised in isolated areas especially at night. Visitors should exercise caution before planning any trips across the county's interior as some roads are susceptible to flash flooding or landslides. The hurricane season normally runs from June to November and there's also increased cases of dengue fever. All in all the Dominican Republic is the place to unwind.