Flights into Kupang’s El Tari International Airport are available from Jakarta, Surabaya, Denpasar (Bali), Labuan Bajo (Flores/Komodo) and Dili (Timor Leste).
Both locations of Cafe Inklusi are easy to reach from most accommodations in Kupang City. The easiest way to reach either cafe is by ordering an online taxi service.
Dining at CafeIn
Head Chef Sischa or Head Barista Kichi are likely your go-to contact person for communications in English. Both women moonlight at CafeIn on evenings and Saturdays, while working their own day jobs in Kupang-based NGOs
Even if you don’t know BISINDO, CafeIn’s deaf staff appreciate visitors who make the effort to introduce themselves in fingerspelling. “Nice to meet you,” “thank you” and “you’re welcome” are all easy and likely among the first signs you would learn.
If you speak Indonesian, communicate with deaf staff in writing or take your mask off and speak slowly using simple words to allow lip reading.
To ensure that the dishes mentioned in this story are available during your visit, call Sischa to arrange for them in advance.
CafeIn is applying for Halal certification and serves no pork or lard. If you require gluten-free or vegan/vegetarian items, or have certain allergies or sensitivities, notify Sischa in advance to discuss recipe modifications.
CafeIn is closed on Sundays, except for secret menu bookings made in advance. Only Sischa and Kichi will be present for Sunday bookings.
With prior arrangements, CafeIn is available to cater for on-site events or ones in Kupang City.
Exploring Kupang
Once you’ve had your fill of great food at Cafe In, you can continue to explore the rest of magical Kupang. Kupang can refer to the metropolitan Kupang City, or the much larger rural Kupang Regency, which comprises nearly 20 per cent of Timor Island west of the Noelmina River, as well as Semau Island.
Kupang’s Old City waterfront is popularly known as Tedis Beach, but its proper name is Lahi Lai Bissi Kopan (LLBK), which means “the place from which Kupang originated” in the Helong language. Famous landmarks in LLBK include Fort Concordia and its lighthouse, which are situated where the Dendeng River meets Kupang Bay.
Today LLBK is known for its vibrant local nightlife, with many bars, cafes and hawker’s stalls in the vicinity. CafeIn 2 is situated in the LLBK/Old City district, about a three minute walk from the Tedis waterfront.
Greater Kupang is home to seven indigenous clan kingdoms: Amabi, Amabi-Oefeto, Babau, Funay, Helong, Lesser Sonbai and Taebenu. They united as one Kupang Kingdom in 1917 as West Timor transitioned from Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie or VOC to Dutch East Indies rule. Kichi’s se’i infused cocktail Royal 1917 is an homage to this historical event.
Kupang’s Old City is the Helong homeland, but most Helong migrated to Semau island in the 18th century to flee from the Penfui War. Kupang is also home to sizable Rotinese and Savunese diaspora communities. These ethnic groups are portrayed on the murals in the LLBK Old City district.
Indonesian is spoken by almost everybody in Kupang City, but the colloquial lingua franca is “Bahasa Kupang” (Timorese Malay), an abbreviated Malay-based creole influenced by local languages such as Helong, Dawan and Rotinese. Timorese Malay speakers find it mutually intelligible with standard Indonesian, but many Indonesian speakers unfamiliar with Timorese Malay don’t think so. English is widely spoken in hotels and workplaces, but not necessarily by taxi drivers, shopkeepers or restaurant staff.
Getting some Se’i
CafeIn does not make their own se’i, but Google Maps lists about a dozen smokehouses in Kupang City that do. CafeIn sources beef se’i from Se’i Opa Rote in Jalan Timor Raya and tuna se’i from an unlisted Se’i Ikan Sisuka. Se’i Baun, also listed as Se’i Babi Baun Om Bai, is located in Tunbaun village in Kupang Regency, about an hour’s drive from Kupang City. Many drivers know its location.
Places to stay and shop
Kupang City offers plenty of options for accommodation. Seaview hotels are available along Jalan Timor Raya, the north coast main road facing Kupang Bay, at price ranges between IDR400,000 — Rp800,000 (USD28-55) per night. Cheaper accommodation is available inland.
The Dekranasda building, where CafeIn 1 is situated, is a good place to shop for Timorese and other artisan products from all over NTT province, including handicrafts, snacks, coffee and essential oil. Upstairs of CafeIn Dekranasda there is an ikat showroom with live demonstrations on weekdays.
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