Merpas – fishing village at the southern edge of Bengkulu Province, within Kecamatan Nasal
Merpas is an Indonesian village (desa) located within Kecamatan Nasal, Kabupaten Kaur, Bengkulu Province, Indonesia. It is situated on the western coast of Sumatra Island and, based on its coordinates (–4.90° south latitude, 103.54° east longitude), lies near the southern part of the peninsula, in the border region between Bengkulu and Lampung provinces. Kabupaten Kaur is the southernmost regency of Bengkulu Province, bordering South Sumatra (Sumatra Selatan) and Lampung provinces. The Pantai Laguna area, to which Merpas is directly connected, is approximately 5–6 hours' drive from Bengkulu city, or roughly 45 minutes from Bintuhan city.
General overview
Merpas is a relatively little-known, small coastal community whose principal characteristic is fishing and coastal livelihood. The village population is predominantly composed of people of the Lampung ethnicity, which is explained by the settlement's direct proximity to Lampung Province. The Suku Merpas ethnic group, although residing within Bengkulu Province's territory, demonstrates closer cultural and customary legal affinity with the peoples of the neighboring Lampung Province; the practices they follow form part of Lampung adat (traditional law). According to the local community's tradition, the ethnic group itself originally came from Lampung territory and migrated to what is now Bengkulu Province around the middle of the 17th century. The Kecamatan Nasal administrative unit, to which Merpas belongs, comprises 17 villages (desa/kelurahan). The administrative seat of the kecamatan is located in Ulak Pandan village, approximately 33 kilometers east of the Kabupaten Kaur government center. For Kabupaten Kaur as a whole, the population's livelihood is based on agriculture, trade, plantation farming, and fishing. In the case of Merpas, the latter sector – marine fishing – is particularly determining: until recent times, the village relatively escaped the attention of national development programs, its population traditionally depended on the sea, while frequently remaining excluded from development processes.
Real estate and investment
In the case of Merpas, independent, settlement-level real estate market data is not consistently available in publicly accessible sources, so the following assessment is based on the broader regency and provincial level context. The economic structure of Kabupaten Kaur is fundamentally agricultural and fishing in character: the region has been involved – since 2005 – in palm oil production and fermentation, coal mining, iron ore and sand mining, rubber, clove, pepper, and coconut cultivation, as well as marine and freshwater fishing and lobster farming. Kabupaten Kaur itself was established in 2003 as an independent administrative unit under Indonesian Republic Law No. 3/2003, after previously being part of Kabupaten Bengkulu Selatan. Regarding infrastructural developments, it is notable that the Kabupaten Kaur administration plans to make Merpas village the starting point of the Kampung Nelayan Merah Putih (Red-White Fishers' Village) program, which could stimulate real estate and investment activity in the longer term. Under the generally applicable framework of Indonesian law, foreign nationals cannot acquire full ownership rights (Hak Milik) in Indonesia; they have access to Hak Pakai (usage rights) or longer-term lease arrangements, whose detailed conditions are always determined by currently applicable Indonesian legislation and local land office (BPN) regulations. Before making investment decisions, it is advisable in all cases to involve a local legal expert.
Safety and security
Independent, authenticated public security statistical data specific to Merpas is not publicly available, so the following statements are based on the general characteristics of the broader region. Kabupaten Kaur and Bengkulu Province can generally be classified among rural, fishing and agriculture-based Indonesian regions, where daily life is primarily organized by local communities' customary legal order and traditional social networks. The region is not known for public security incidents that significantly disturb tourism or daily life, but this does not mean the area is problem-free – like many districts of rural Sumatra, police presence and infrastructure may lag behind those of major cities. Before visiting and potential investors should review the latest Indonesian government and consular information prior to staying in the area.
Tourist attractions
Merpas's best-known tourist destination is the Pantai Laguna Samudra (Laguna Samudra Beach), which is recognized as one of Kabupaten Kaur's prominent marine tourist attractions in Bengkulu Province. The beach is located at Ujung Lancang Cape and is managed by the local community. The area features coastal forest suitable for camping. The shore is known for its white sand, clear water, and relatively calm waves, which are protected by a coral reef. Beyond the reef, however, considerable wave activity can be encountered, which also makes the site suitable for casual surfing. Additionally, in 2024, the village was designated as the site of scientific surveys related to the designation of marine protected areas (KKPD), which included coral reef ecological studies, water quality measurements, and fishing socioeconomic surveys. Within the broader Kecamatan Nasal area, according to Kabupaten Kaur administration records, there is also a waterfall named Curug Perpah, located in the Nasal district.
Summary
Merpas is a modest-sized desa with a fishing and coastal character located within Kecamatan Nasal in the southern part of Kabupaten Kaur, Bengkulu Province. Its cultural distinction lies in the fact that its residents – although living within Bengkulu Province's administrative boundaries – show kinship with the peoples of neighboring Lampung Province in their traditions and customary law. Pantai Laguna Samudra beach is one of the region's most outstanding natural attractions, and if the Kampung Nelayan Merah Putih development program is realized, the local economy may undergo noticeable transformation in the future. On this basis, Merpas is currently a less explored, community-oriented coastal destination, which may primarily be sought by those interested in quiet coastal environments, coral reef natural values, and fishing traditions.
