Suai, Timor Leste · UTC+9 ☆

Suai is a coastal town in the Cova-Lima district of Timor-Leste (East Timor), on the island’s southern shore facing the Timor Sea. The country runs on Timor-Leste Time (UTC+9) all year, a fixed offset since independence in 2002.

Timor-Leste’s timezone was established when the country became independent after the 2002 formal handover following the Indonesian occupation that ended in 1999. The UTC+9 offset matches the eastern end of Indonesia’s timezone system and aligns with Australia’s Northern Territory and Queensland (AEST) as nearest major neighbors.

At about 9 degrees south, near the equator, Suai sees minimal daylight variation across the year. The fixed UTC+9 timezone, adopted at independence in 2002, has remained unchanged since.

massacre, independence, and rebuilding

Suai carries one of the most painful chapters of the independence struggle. On September 6, 1999, following the independence referendum, pro-Indonesian militia attacked the town and massacred around 200 people who had sought refuge in the Ave Maria church.[3] The Suai Church massacre is a defining event in Timorese historical memory.

9am in Suai is 12am in London in winter, 1am during British Summer Time.

Read more about time in Timor Leste →