Matabesi Village in Belu Regency, East Nusa Tenggara Province

Another reason to visit Belu Regency of East Nusa Tenggara Province is indeed to learn local culture and heritage. In this case, tourists have a nice reference which is Matabesi Village. The location is in Biboki Moenlue Sub-District and it has been visited by lots of tourists over time. Not only the village offers a beautiful environment, but it is also the home of the local tribe with their unique culture. The fact is that it is located between Belu and North Timor Tengah Regency. As for tourists, they can do many things there including exploration, culture learning, and getting close to villagers.

The Nuance
As people may expect, the village offers a peaceful nuance and pristine environment. It is because villagers take a good care of their home and they indeed love nature. Not to mention they give a significant effort to retain their traditions. Here is an interesting fact. These people have no electricity! They only use traditional plants as the fuel of lighting. The next allure of the village is definitely the formation of traditional houses that tourists can explore during the visit. Both the shape and structure are unique indeed.

Exploring Matabesi Village
The question is what people can do once they arrive at Matabesi Village. The most recommended one perhaps is to explore the site. It can be either entering a villager’s house and become a guest there or conduct trekking to a nearby hill. Regardless of the choice, they must get permission from the locals before anything. It is to avoid any unwanted events during the exploration, after all. In this case, the safest bet is to explore the village accompanied by either a villager or a tour guide.

The next recommended thing to do in Matabesi Village is to enjoy photography. Many types of interesting objects reside there including traditional houses, pristine environment, even the daily activities of villagers. Plus, the locals always wear their traditional clothes every day (which also becomes a nice object to capture). Once again, it is important to get permission from villagers before taking any picture there. It is because some villagers do not like such kind of activity. They may consider it somewhat harmful to their tradition.

Matabesi Village is, somehow, famous due to their natural springs. It is a little bit disappointing, though. The water discharge is not as strong as before! Still, tourists should not miss the chance to visit the water spring when exploring the village later. As an alternative, they can get to a nearby hill called Lidak and enjoy trekking there.

Nearby Attractions

• Oebubun Beach
• Insana Beach
• Berluli Beach
• Pancasila Monument

How to Get There
For those coming from Kupang City, they must find a nice transportation service and head to Matabesi Village right away. The distance is 271 km, so the trip may take about 7 hours and 24 minutes. Here is the tip. Everyone should only take Nasional Trans Timor Street for a faster trip. It is also recommended to come only during a good weather.

Where to Stay

• Permata Atambua Hotel
• Timor Hotel
• Paradiso Hotel
• Nusantara Hotel