Datara – a southern Sulawesi settlement in the Tompobulu District, Kabupaten Gowa
Datara is an Indonesian settlement (desa) located in South Sulawesi (Sulawesi Selatan) province, within the administrative unit of Kabupaten Gowa, and belongs to the Tompobulu kecamatan. Based on its coordinates (-5.4593, 119.8063), it is situated in the more southern, hilly region of the kabupaten. The seat of Kabupaten Gowa is Sungguminasa, in the Sombaopu district; the total area of the regency is 1,883.33 km², with a population of 806,908 in mid-2024. Regarding Datara itself, no systematically processed independent source is currently available; therefore, the description below is based on the settlement's broader administrative and regional context, which is clearly indicated where applicable.
General overview
Datara belongs to the Tompobulu kecamatan, which is situated in the southern part of Kabupaten Gowa and is characteristically surrounded by hills and hilly landscapes, encompassing relatively sparsely populated areas. The kabupaten itself – within which Datara must be understood – historically lay within the territory of the Gowa Sultanate. The sultanate was a regional great power in the 16th and 17th centuries: its capital, Sombaopu, was visited by European (Portuguese, English, Dutch, Danish, French), East Asian (Chinese), North African, and Middle Eastern traders, and was considered one of the most cosmopolitan Southeast Asian cities of that era. The sultanate's most renowned ruler was Sultan Hasanuddin. Datara itself is a smaller, less well-known settlement; located away from major cities and the busiest routes, in the interior areas of the district, and is thus primarily characterized by local agricultural lifestyle and the kabupaten's natural endowments. More precise data – such as population, details of administrative organization, and local economic structure – can be reliably verified only through on-site investigation or official Indonesian statistical sources (BPS).
Real estate and investment
No independent real estate market data for Datara appears in available sources. The broader context is provided by Kabupaten Gowa: the regency is directly adjacent to Makassar (Kota Makassar), the capital of South Sulawesi province and the economic center of the region, which results in more active real estate development in areas closer to Gowa – mainly in the zones around Sombaopu and Pallangga. The interior, hilly portions of the kabupaten – to which Tompobulu and thus Datara belong – are less directly affected by this urban attraction, and property prices and investment turnover are generally at lower levels than in zones near Makassar. In Indonesia, the acquisition opportunities for foreigners are generally restricted: foreign nationals in most cases cannot acquire full ownership rights (Hak Milik), but can only hold property on limited legal titles (such as Hak Pakai, or usufruct rights), and this regulatory framework applies to South Sulawesi as well. Before making investment decisions, it is advisable in all cases to involve local legal and real estate experts.
Safety and security
No independent, verified statistics are available regarding public safety in Datara. The public security situation in Kabupaten Gowa and generally in rural areas of South Sulawesi, based on available general information, cannot be classified among particularly risky areas, but this does not constitute a verifiable, factual assessment at the settlement level. In larger South Sulawesi cities, including Makassar, minor property crimes do occur, and occasionally incidents of a traffic or social nature take place, but these trends do not necessarily apply to the rural parts of the kabupaten to the same degree. More precise information can be provided by publications from the local police (Polres Gowa) or the Indonesian Central Statistics Agency (BPS).
Tourist attractions
No tourist attraction named after Datara or directly linked to the settlement appears in available sources with supporting documentation. Regarding Kabupaten Gowa as a whole, the most well-known, verifiable attraction is the Benteng Somba Opu (Somba Opu Fort), which was the site of the Gowa Sultanate's 16th and 17th century capital and remains open to visitors today. This fort is located in the northern areas of the kabupaten, close to Makassar, and is therefore at considerable distance from Datara. The hilly Tompobulu district could serve as a natural destination – with the topography and agricultural landscape characteristic of South Sulawesi – but specific named natural or cultural attractions cannot be cited without sources. Those wishing to become acquainted with the region's historical heritage would be better served planning their itineraries around the kabupaten's seat or the Makassar area.
Summary
Datara is a small southern Sulawesi settlement in the Tompobulu District of Kabupaten Gowa, located within the former territory of the Gowa Sultanate, in the hilly interior zone of the kabupaten. Since available public sources do not contain systematic, settlement-level data, information about Datara can only be understood within the regency's – historically and geographically noteworthy – context. Unlike the more developed, city-adjacent parts of the kabupaten, this rural, interior area is primarily the living space of local communities, not a tourist destination. For more extensive and reliable information, consultation of local BPS publications or on-site inquiry is recommended.
