Kokotobo – a settlement on Adonara Island, Flores Timur Regency
Kokotobo is a small settlement in Indonesia's East Nusa Tenggara (Nusa Tenggara Timur) Province, specifically within the territory of Kabupaten Flores Timur (Flores Timur Regency), belonging to the Adonara Tengah subdistrict (kecamatan). Based on its coordinates (-8.3167861, 123.1421819), it is located in the central part of Adonara Island, which is one of the three main territorial units of Flores Timur Regency. The settlement falls within the Bali and Lesser Sunda Islands macroregion, geographically positioned in the eastern part of the Lesser Sunda Islands. Direct, comprehensive statistical or historical sources specific solely to Kokotobo were not available; the following discussion relies on verified data and general information available at the regency and broader regional level, which is indicated throughout.
General overview
Kokotobo belongs to the Adonara Tengah subdistrict, which forms the central subdistrict of Adonara Island. Adonara itself is one of three major territorial units of Flores Timur Regency – the other two being the eastern mainland part of Flores Island and Solor Island. The regency was administratively established on August 9, 1958, based on Law No. 69 of 1958, which regulated second-level administrative units in Bali, West Nusa Tenggara, and East Nusa Tenggara Provinces. The capital of Flores Timur Regency is Larantuka, which was formerly the center of the Catholic Kingdom of Larantuka and exhibits strong Portuguese cultural influence – this historical legacy defines the character of the entire region. According to Flores Timur Regency's 2021 census data, the population was 283,626, with a population density of 156.48 persons/km², and by the end of 2024, this figure had grown to 289,881. Specific population or area data for Kokotobo is not available; the settlement is among the numerous small villages of the regency built on agricultural and fishing activities, characterized generally in the inland areas of Adonara by traditional lifestyles and relative infrastructural isolation.
Real estate and investment
Settlement-level real estate market data specific to Kokotobo is not available. In the broader context, the real estate market of Flores Timur Regency is significantly less developed and liquid than those of Bali or Lombok's tourism-frequented areas. On Adonara Island, particularly in interior subdistricts, real estate transactions are of low intensity and typically limited to local transactions. According to Indonesia's general land ownership regulations, foreign nationals cannot acquire full land ownership (Hak Milik); use rights (Hak Pakai) or long-term rental arrangements are available to them, which constitute the applicable legal framework throughout the country. At the regency level, investment activity is primarily driven by local agriculture, small-scale fishing, and infrastructure development projects, rather than the tourism or residential real estate sector. On this basis, Kokotobo and its immediate surroundings are not currently considered an active investment destination in the international real estate market.
Safety and security
Public safety statistics or police data specific to Kokotobo are not available. East Nusa Tenggara Province in general is ranked among the relatively stable regions of Indonesia with lower crime rates, though certain areas of the province – as in other peripheral regions of the country – may have more limited infrastructural and institutional capacities. Adonara Island and the Adonara Tengah subdistrict represent a sparsely populated, agricultural region where public safety management challenges typical of large cities are not relevant. From a general travel security perspective, current information regarding the region should always be verified through competent consular or official sources, as this article does not contain up-to-date local-level data.
Tourist attractions
No verified tourist attraction has been identified specifically for Kokotobo. However, regarding the broader region of Flores Timur Regency, it is worth noting that Larantuka, the regency's capital, possesses significant historical and religious heritage: its Catholic architectural elements reflecting former Portuguese influence, as well as local Christian traditions, make the Easter procession (Semana Santa) a particularly renowned event in the region, attracting religious tourists and cultural enthusiasts. Additionally, natural attractions – volcanic landscapes, coastal areas, and coral reefs – are characteristic of areas adjacent to Flores Island within Flores Timur Regency. Adonara Island itself is less thoroughly mapped for tourism, and interior areas, including the Adonara Tengah subdistrict, typically do not feature on known tourist routes. For Kokotobo, precise distance data to the nearest known attractions cannot be provided from available sources.
Summary
Kokotobo is a small, poorly documented settlement in the central part of Adonara Island within Flores Timur Regency in East Nusa Tenggara Province, Indonesia. Based on data available at the Kabupaten Flores Timur level, the regency is a territory of approximately 290,000 people characterized by distinctive Catholic and Portuguese-rooted cultural heritage, within which Kokotobo belongs to the lesser-frequented villages of the Lesser Sunda Islands that preserve traditional lifestyles. Currently, it holds no significant regional importance from tourism, investment, or public safety perspectives, and no independent, comprehensive data source is available specifically about the village.
