This page is about a province in Indonesia called Nusa Tenggara Timur (East Nusa Tenggara). The capital of this province is little place called Kupang. NTT makes up Indonesia's south-easternmost islands.

Map of Nusa Tenggara Timur, showing Kupang and other major centres of NTT.

Kupang, the provincial capital of East Nusa Tenggara in western Timor with approximately 150,000 inhibitants makes it the largest urban center of the province. It is the center of government, business, trade and education. The only sandalwood oil factory in Indonesia is located in this town. Here one can see the distillation of sandalwood oil which is famous in Nusa Tenggara Timur. The Kupang Museum has on display items of historical and cultural value.

Lying only 435 km from the coast of north-east Australia, it is closer to Darwin than to Jakarta. Having immigrated from the surrounding islands, the population of Kupang comprises a myriad races: Atoni (the local indigenous people who speak Dawan), Rotinese from Roti, Savunese from Savu, Chinese, Florinese from Flores, Kisarese, Adonese from Adonara, Solorese from Solor, Ambonese from Maluku Province, Javanese, Arabs, Eurasians and the odd expatriate of Eurporean descent who for the most part seem not to be all quite right in the head.

Christianity is the predominant religion (90 percent), but there is also a smaller minority of Muslims, descendents of Arab traders, and even a few thousand Balinese. There is definitely a Melanesian atmosphere to the city, but because it is under the yoke of far-flung Indonesia (in effect a Javanese empire that rules arrogantly) it is like a poor cousin version of a Pacific island city such as Port Moresby.

Although there are now buildings several stories high which are quite scary edificies if one considers the appalling standard of structural design and, particularly, construction, sidewalks, an good local telephone system, and busy intersections full of bemos exuding ear-splitting thump-a-thump noise that supposedly goes for disco music, and lots of government-owned four-wheel drives driven by government officials or their wives for personal use, the mood and pace are generally easy in this commercial and administrative centre which did not get streetlights until 1971.

Nevertheless, with the ouster of the despotic and brutal former President Soeharto in May 1998, even Kupang has not been immune from the horrible, savage violence that seems to have swept Indonesia since the middle of 1998. Kupang suffered a sad and terrible bout of inter-ethnic violence and rioting in early December 1998.

Downtown commercial district of Kupang looking east from the old cemetry. Teddy's Bar is just to the right, outside the picture.

The town may be reached by air from Denpasar, Dili, and Ujung Pandang and also from the major towns inside the province. With the direct flight from Darwin, Australia sometimes via Dili, Kupang has also become a tourist gateway. Kupang as a city is quite spread out on a moderately hilly topography with large, more recently-constructed multi-storey government buildings in one sector removed some kilometres from the commercial centre, interspersed with undeveloped green belts and urbanised residential areas.

The commercial centre is about one kilometre inland and merges with the downtown area along the sea which in fact is the old part of Kupang.

Commerical district in downtown Kupang

Downtown Kupang looking west towards Semau Island.

Another view of downtown Kupang.

The beach at Lassiana is Kupang's tourist recreation spot. Located about 10 km to the east of downdown Kupang, the beach faces north and west and therefore makes it an ideal place to watch a beautiful sunset.

Sunset at Lassiana Beach

Lasiana was chosen as the spot for 1996 around the World Sailing Competition which started in England and the yearly Darwin to Kupang Yacht Race.

At Lasiana there is a park selling local food items, cold coconut, fruits from nearby farms, barbequed corn cob and other local delicacies together with cold soda pop drinks, beer. One can sit under the cool shade of the many palm trees or venture out on the beach and go for a relaxing swim.

Lasiana beach looking westwards.