I spent 3 nights in Asia's least visited country. It also turned out to be the most expensive.

24.07.2024 - 03:15 / insider.com / Southeast Asia

I graduated from college two years ago and set a goal for myself to visit at least 50 countries before I turn 30.

Even while maintaining a full-time job throughout most of my travels, I've already managed to tick 20 off the list. I've traveled to six countries in Europe and 14 across Asia.

I spent about a quarter of my salary over the past two years on travel expenses, which have added up to over $30,000. I've managed to stay on a tight budget even in upscale destinations like the Maldives — where I spent less than $1,000 on a five-day trip — and backpacked on a few dollars a day in cities like Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur.

But on a recent trip to Timor-Leste in May — a country in the South Pacific smaller in size than the state of Connecticut — I found budgeting more difficult than ever. The country comprises half of Timor Island — which it shares with Indonesia — and is known for its unspoiled waters and vibrant coral reefs.

It's one of the world's least-visited countries, making airfare and hotel rates more expensive than many countries in Asia.

Timor-Leste is on the United Nations' list of the world's least-developed countries. It's also one of the more expensive countries in the region, due to high trade costs, according to Development Asia. In addition to the centavo, which is only minted in coins, the country uses the US dollar, too — a stronger currency than what's used in nearby countries, including Indonesia and Australia.

Here's a breakdown of what I spent in Timor-Leste.

Getting to Timor-Leste isn't easy. When I was traveling, Bali, Indonesia, and Darwin, Australia, were the only cities with flights to Dili, the capital, where the country's only international airport is located. Only two airlines — the Indonesian low-cost carrier Citilink and the local airline Aero Dili — fly between Bali and Dili. The flight from Bali is less than two hours long — while there are no direct flights from the US to Bali, stopovers through bigger airports like Singapore and Tokyo are often used.

I booked a return ticket with Citilink about three weeks before departure for $500 — which was around $100 cheaper than Aero Dili. This included a front-row seat reservation and a 44-lb checked bag allowance.

Timor-Leste only has a handful of three-star hotels and no luxury accommodations. While Hilton plans to open a hotel in Dili's business district later this year, there were no international hotel chains when I visited.

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Many travelers stay in guesthouses by the beach, which only have basic amenities such as fans and mosquito nets. I booked an entry-level room for three nights at Timor Plaza Hotel & Apartments for around $500, including tax.

While the room itself was basic — and had its fair share of