A 70 kilometre gravel road leads south into the hills from Dili via Aileu to Maubisse, a small town at 1400 metres above sea level. It is beautifully situated in the mountains. On a hill, overlooking the town, sits the Pousada, an old Portuguese guesthouse, which is still very much in business with nice rooms, good food and great views on all sides.
Maubisse has a large Catholic church, some eating places and a big market, where people from neighbouring villages come to trade and buy, many of them on horseback; the horses are "parked" in a field nearby.