Homespun pleasures at this much loved & highly ethical resort on the island of Atauro - home to some of the highest levels of marine biodiversity on the planet!
PREVIEW
Barry's Place bit of an institution in Timor Leste and a beacon of ethical, community based tourism. Run by Aussie former teacher Barry Hinton and his Timorese, wife Lina, the resort is both a model of sustainability and a genuine social enterprise with deep ties to local communities and the surrounding environment through a range of programmes. Accommodation is in beach huts using traditional materials and a permaculture garden provides much of the produce you'll eat - diving and snorkelling are top of the activities list of course!
STAY
It's all about simplicity here, relaxing into the beauty of the place. There's a choice of cabins, with double beds, mosquito nets and hammocks on their verandahs, as well as gazebos and tents. Meals are served buffet style three times a day, at 7am, midday and 7pm and picnic lunches can be arranged.
PLAY
While Barry's Place doesn't have an on site dive shop, they can help arrange all your dive needs with the best local operators, such as Compass Dive. A recent survey suggested the waters around Atauro may have the highest levels of marine biodiversity ever recorded. There's great snorkelling right off the beach too and you can enjoy treks of varying lengths and difficulty with local guides.
SUSTAIN
Sustainability is in the very fabric of Barry's Place. It's built around a permaculture garden, makes ample use of passive cooling techniques, use of grey water to feed gardens and has composting toilets. Over the years, Barry & Lina have supported a huge number of community projects, driven as they are always quick to clarify, by the local community's express needs - whether setting up a women's cooperative, helping rehabilitate a school or constructing a volleyball/basketball court.
