Masaloka Timur – small island settlement in the eastern part of Bombana Regency, South-East Celebes
Masaloka Timur is an Indonesian settlement located in Bombana Regency, which belongs to South-East Sulawesi (Sulawesi Tenggara) province, specifically in the Kep. Masaloka Raya district (kecamatan). Based on its coordinates (-4.81° S, 122.15° E), it is situated near the meeting point of the Banda Sea and the Flores Sea, on a smaller island group. The "Kep." prefix – an abbreviation of "Kepulauan" (islands) – indicates that the district itself is an administrative unit composed of islands. The provincial capital of Sulawesi Tenggara is Kendari, and the province has a total area of approximately 38,140 km² of land and roughly 110,000 km² of marine territory. Currently, no independent settlement-level reference material documented in Wikipedia is available for Masaloka Timur, therefore the description below is based primarily on verifiable information available at the district, regency, and provincial levels.
General overview
The name Masaloka Timur means "East Masaloka" in Indonesian, indicating a settlement belonging to the eastern part of a larger island or territorial unit named Masaloka. The name of Kep. Masaloka Raya district itself emphasizes the island group character, meaning that this kecamatan encompasses an area made up of several smaller islands. Bombana Regency is a relatively young administrative unit in Sulawesi Tenggara; in the region, local communities' livelihoods have traditionally been based on fishing, exploitation of marine resources, and small-scale agriculture. Such small island villages in Indonesia typically have close community ties, and daily life is closely connected to the marine environment. Since no verified population figures or area data are available for Masaloka Timur from verifiable sources, only this much can be said with certainty: the total population of Sulawesi Tenggara province in the first half of 2025 was 2,848,747 inhabitants, distributed across numerous small island and coastal communities within the province.
Real estate and investment
Specific real estate market data for Masaloka Timur is not available in publicly accessible, verifiable sources. In broader context, the real estate market in Bombana Regency and Sulawesi Tenggara province is generally less developed than in major Indonesian tourist destinations, and real estate transactions in smaller island communities are typically limited. In Indonesia, opportunities for foreigners to acquire property are severely restricted by general regulations: direct land ownership (Hak Milik) is reserved exclusively for Indonesian citizens, while foreigners may use usufruct rights (Hak Pakai) for longer-term use of certain property types. From an investment perspective, opportunities in such isolated, island locations are more likely to be tied to local natural resources – fishing, marine tourism, craft processing – rather than large-scale real estate development. Regarding Sulawesi Tenggara province as a whole, infrastructure development is in progress, which may in the long term bring certain development impulses to lesser-known regions as well, but this process is slow and specific local impacts are difficult to predict.
Safety and security
There are no publicly documented, settlement-level crime data or security assessments for Masaloka Timur. In general terms, Sulawesi Tenggara province – and within it the smaller island communities of Bombana Regency – can be characterized as rural areas with lower crime rates compared to major cities, where community control is strong. In such small Indonesian island villages, local social networks and community norms typically contribute to the maintenance of public order. It is important to note that this observation is based on general, regional-level observations regarding Sulawesi Tenggara province and does not replace specific, verified on-site data. Travelers are always advised to consider current information from Indonesian authorities and travel advisories issued by their own country's foreign ministry.
Tourist attractions
Named tourist attractions for Masaloka Timur do not appear in available, verifiable sources, therefore no specific details can be provided. Based on the geographic location of the broader region, Bombana Regency, and the Kep. Masaloka Raya island group – while not verifiable from sources – it is presumed that the area is characterized primarily by its natural environment: coastal landscapes facing the Banda Sea, coral reefs, and fishing villages give the region its character. Elsewhere in Sulawesi Tenggara province – for example in the Wakatobi National Park, located in the eastern part of the province – significant marine biodiversity and ecotourism offerings are documented, and the province's marine areas generally possess valuable natural resources. However, in the case of Masaloka Timur, these connections are valid only for the broader region and cannot be considered factual statements regarding the specific settlement. Those interested are advised to inquire directly with local or regency-level tourism authorities regarding actual on-site offerings.
Summary
Masaloka Timur is a small island settlement in Bombana Regency in Indonesia's Sulawesi Tenggara province, in the Kep. Masaloka Raya district. The district's name refers to its island group character, and based on the location's coordinates it falls within the Banda Sea region. In the absence of documented settlement-level reference material, precise population, economic, or tourism data cannot be provided about the settlement; available information refers to the province as a whole or the broader region. At the beginning of 2025, Sulawesi Tenggara province had a population of close to 2.85 million inhabitants and consists of numerous small communities, among which villages like Masaloka Timur – poorly documented and tied to the sea – can be found.
