Tariang Lama – a small village serving the Sangihe Islands archipelago
Tariang Lama is located as one of the smaller settlements of the Kepulauan Sangihe (Sangihe Islands) in Indonesia's North Sulawesi (Sulawesi Utara) province. The settlement belongs to Kendahe District, which forms an independent administrative unit of the archipelago. Its location places the village in one of the peripheral, island regions of the Indonesian archipelago, where it is spatially and economically separated from the country's mainland geopolitical realities. The Sangihe Islands stretch from the northeastern part of Sulawesi island to the Philippine Sea, positioned halfway between the Celebes Sea and the Molucca Sea. Tariang Lama in this geographic and administrative context represents a characteristic island community, where traditional lifestyle and neglected infrastructure are the defining features.
General overview
Tariang Lama is not among the widely known tourist destinations in Indonesia. The settlement is one of numerous small communities in the Sangihe Islands found in Kendahe District. The entire Sangihe Islands have a total area of only 813 square kilometers, shared among numerous islands and smaller settlements. By mid-2022, the total population of the Sangihe Islands Regency (Kabupaten Kepulauan Sangihe) approached 140,165 people, which means that small settlements such as Tariang Lama are necessarily communities with insignificant populations. The region's characteristic feature is that it is based on volcanically active islands with fertile soils and mountainous topography. The archipelago's largest volcano, Mount Awu at 1,320 meters high, exhibits active geological activity. Tariang Lama, as part of Kendahe District, is situated in this active volcanic and tectonic environment, which determines the area's geophysical characteristics and long-term safety.
The Sangihe Islands came under Dutch control in 1677, more than three and a half centuries ago, and maintained this European sovereignty until Indonesia's declaration of independence in 1945. Traces of such lengthy colonization remain perceptible in infrastructure, administration, and social structures throughout the archipelago. The main city and port of the Sangihe Islands is Tahuna, which is the only point with an international aviation catalog, Naha Airport. This single port indicates infrastructural centralization and that smaller settlements such as Tariang Lama lack direct connections with international-level transportation networks. The Sangir language spoken on the island is a member of the Austronesian language family, also spoken on a few islands of the Philippines and in the northernmost tip of Sulawesi, thereby reflecting the region's linguistic diversity and historical connections.
Real estate and investment
Tariang Lama's real estate market does not form a distinct, differentiated market from the perspective of Indonesian or international investors. A settlement of this size, located on an island, typically consists of family properties held in local hands and maintained across generations. On island settlements such as those of the Sangihe Islands, real estate movement is generally local, tied to family and community bonds within the settlement. Considering the Sangihe Islands as a whole, from the mid-2010 population of 189,676 and the mid-2022 estimate of 212,682, it is evident that the region shows slow, modest population growth, which does not encourage a dynamic real estate market.
In Indonesia's general real estate market regulations, foreign investors may be restricted in direct ownership. Indonesian law generally permits 99-year lease rights (hak pakai) to foreign legal entities for real property, while ownership (hak milik) is generally restricted only to Indonesian citizens or persons recognized by Indonesian law. In such a small island settlement as Tariang Lama, these legal frameworks are often minimally relevant, as the real estate market is practically static and based on local, family transactions. The island situation, limited infrastructure, and peripheral location mean that there is practically no demand for commercial or tourist investments. Real estate prices are necessarily low on the island, since such basic transportation, supply, and employment opportunities that would exist in a city or more developed region are far less present here.
Safety and security
Specific, verifiable data on public safety at the settlement level of Tariang Lama is not available. Public safety generally reported at the national level by Indonesia shows more perceptible risk in western parts of Sulawesi, particularly in areas affected by Moro separatist activity. The Sangihe Islands, as the northeastern peripheral region of Sulawesi, generally do not fall among the highest-risk areas of the country. Island communities such as Tariang Lama typically exhibit low crime rates and strong community cohesion, where local social norms and personal connections form the basis for communities' cohabitation.
Island location, small population, and community cohesion generally result in strong social control that protects against serious, organized crime. However, infrastructural deficiencies, neglected road networks, and poverty are present throughout the archipelago, which increases opportunities for local-level, often petty property crime. Maritime transportation safety and port vulnerability (smuggling, violations of fishing rights) are regional concerns, but these do not directly affect land-based communities such as Tariang Lama. The administrative presence of the Indonesian Republic in the archipelago, while formally present, operates in practice with limited resources due to remote location.
Tourist attractions
Specific source data on named tourist attractions at the settlement level of Tariang Lama is not available. The small settlement, as one of numerous communities in the archipelago, holds no notable role in either international or national tourism infrastructure. However, at the Sangihe Islands level, there are distinctive geophysical features that could potentially characterize the region's tourism. The active Mount Awu volcano, which stands 1,320 meters high and possesses fundamental volcanic activity, can be considered the archipelago's main geological point of interest. Tahuna, the main city and commercial center of the archipelago, nonetheless remains insignificant in terms of international tourist appeal.
The island topography, fertile soil, and volcanic geology characteristic of the Sangihe Islands create a natural environment that may present potential interest for research tourism and alternative tourism. Island ecosystems that exist among the archipelago's regions can provide rich biodiversity. However, due to limited international transportation connections, minimal tourism infrastructure, and the complexity of travel procedures, the Sangihe Islands, including Tariang Lama, remain practically off the international tourism map. Naha Airport, located in Tahuna, is the archipelago's only air route access, but international flight availability is limited. Small settlements such as Tariang Lama necessarily organize around local resources independent of tourism, centered on fishing, agriculture, and self-sustaining community economy.
Summary
Tariang Lama is a peripheral community of the Sangihe Islands located in North Sulawesi province in Indonesia, situated in Kendahe District. The settlement, corresponding to its island location and the country's geopolitical peripheral role, is only limitedly integrated into Indonesian economic and tourism networks. The real estate market is local, static, and family-based, while public safety is generally considered adequate due to the small settlement's community cohesion. It has practically no tourist appeal, and a realistic basis for international or large-scale investor interest is lacking. The settlement's true social and economic function is organized around the maintenance of the local community, the preservation of traditional lifestyle, and basic self-sufficiency.
