Calok – a small settlement in Peudada District, Bireuen Regency, Aceh Province
Calok is a small Indonesian settlement located in Peudada District (Kecamatan Peudada) of Bireuen Regency in Aceh Province on the island of Sumatra. Based on its coordinates (5.2129322° N, 96.4783502° E), it is situated near the main road between Banda Aceh and Medan, in the broader region of the North Sumatra and Aceh borderland. Since no publicly accessible and verifiable data sources are available specifically about the settlement itself, the information presented below is based on facts known at the level of Kecamatan Peudada and Kabupaten Bireuen, as well as the general context of the province, which is clearly indicated throughout.
General overview
Calok belongs to the Kecamatan Peudada administrative unit, which is part of Kabupaten Bireuen. Bireuen Regency became an independent administrative unit on October 12, 1999, when it was separated from the former Kabupaten Aceh Utara. The regency's seat is the city of Bireuen, which serves as both the economic and administrative center of the region. Bireuen Regency has a strategic location: it lies on the Banda Aceh–Medan main route and plays a transit role in the region as a neighbor to Kabupaten Bener Meriah, Kabupaten Pidie Jaya, and Kabupaten Aceh Utara. Calok itself is a smaller, presumably predominantly agricultural rural settlement, one of several such villages found in Kecamatan Peudada. For the regency as a whole, the local economy is primarily based on agriculture, fishing, and small-scale commerce. No independent statistical or demographic data about Calok appears in available sources, so it is not possible to provide precise population or area figures.
Real estate and investment
No settlement-level, publicly accessible, and verifiable data are available about Calok's real estate market. Regarding Kabupaten Bireuen as a whole, it can be said that the regency primarily serves an agricultural and transit economic role rather than a tourism function, which affects local property prices and investment activity. In smaller rural villages, as Calok presumably is, property values are typically significantly lower than in larger urban centers of Aceh Province, such as Banda Aceh. It is important to note that in Indonesia, foreign nationals have generally limited real estate acquisition options: Hak Milik (full ownership rights) is available exclusively to Indonesian citizens, while foreigners primarily have access to Hak Pakai (use rights) and Hak Sewa (lease rights) as legal frameworks. These general rules apply in Aceh Province as well. From an investment perspective, the regency shows some dynamism primarily through commercial development along the Banda Aceh–Medan transit route, but this mainly affects Bireuen city and not smaller rural settlements such as Calok.
Safety and security
No available or verifiable sources exist regarding public safety or crime statistics specific to Calok. Regarding the broader region and the public security context of Kabupaten Bireuen, it is worth noting that the area has historically been one of the main bases of the Gerakan Aceh Merdeka (GAM) movement, and a military emergency was declared in the province in 2003. However, the peace achieved as a result of the Helsinki Accord signed in 2005 fundamentally changed the situation, and since then Aceh Province as a whole has gradually normalized. Today, Aceh is also known for the sharia laws in effect throughout the province, which are relevant to local norms and behavioral rules. Generally speaking, rural small settlements such as Calok are typically characterized by low crime levels and strong community bonds, though numerical data on this cannot be cited. Travelers should take into account the current official advisories of the province.
Tourist attractions
No named tourist attractions are listed in verifiable sources in the immediate vicinity of Calok. In the broader context of Kabupaten Bireuen, however, it is important to note that the regency is a historically significant location: according to Indonesian Wikipedia sources, Bireuen was declared the second capital of the Indonesian Republic on June 18, 1948, during the Dutch Second Military Action (1947–1948), when the Emergency Republican Government (PDRI), previously based in Bukittinggi, relocated there. This historical legacy is connected to the regency's seat, the city of Bireuen, rather than directly to Calok. Bireuen city itself is located nearby to Calok and functions as a supply center along the transit route. Throughout Aceh Province, numerous tourist sites are found – including coastal areas and historical monuments – but these are typically connected to other parts of the province, and precise data about Calok's immediate surrounding area cannot be provided from available sources.
Summary
Calok is a poorly documented, small-sized rural settlement in Peudada District of Bireuen Regency in Aceh Province on Sumatra. The broader region, Kabupaten Bireuen, is noteworthy both historically and strategically: on one hand, it plays a transit role on the Banda Aceh–Medan route, and on the other, it is a significant location in terms of Indonesian independence history and the Acehnese peace process. No independent, detailed statistical or tourist data about Calok is publicly available, so expectations regarding developed real estate markets or tourist infrastructure are not well-founded based on the available information. The settlement is better understood as part of the regency's rural, agriculturally-based fabric.
