Bukit Permai – small settlement on Wawonii island, Southeast Sulawesi
Bukit Permai is a settlement within Wawonii Barat district, which belongs to Konawe Kepulauan regency and is located in Sulawesi Tenggara (Southeast Sulawesi) province, in the southeastern part of the Indonesian island of Sulawesi. According to its coordinates (-4.0599° south latitude, 122.9832° east longitude), it is situated on the western side of Wawonii island. The provincial capital of Sulawesi Tenggara is Kendari, and the province acquired its independent administrative status in 1964 under Perpu No. 2, and subsequently under Law No. 13 of 1964. Detailed data specifically concerning Bukit Permai do not appear in available sources; therefore, the following description relies on the generally known characteristics of the broader administrative units — Konawe Kepulauan regency and Sulawesi Tenggara province — with this limitation clearly indicated throughout.
General overview
Bukit Permai belongs to Wawonii Barat (West Wawonii) district, which administratively forms part of Konawe Kepulauan regency (Kepulauan meaning: archipelago). Konawe Kepulauan itself is a relatively young and geographically isolated regency within Sulawesi Tenggara province, its territory encompassing Wawonii island and smaller islands surrounding it. The name "Bukit Permai" in Indonesian roughly means "beautiful hill" or "beautiful hillside," suggesting that the area is situated on hilly, perhaps more elevated terrain. Sulawesi Tenggara province as a whole covers 38,140 km² of land area, and in the first half of 2025, the province's population reached 2,848,747 inhabitants — this is the broader provincial context within which Bukit Permai lies as a small, little-known village. Due to Konawe Kepulauan regency's island location, settlements here are accessed primarily by sea, which affects both accessibility and the level of development of the area. Neither the province nor other available sources publish separate administrative or demographic data concerning Bukit Permai.
Real estate and investment
No real estate market data or investment statistics are available for Bukit Permai as a specific location. Regarding the broader region of Konawe Kepulauan in general terms, it can be said that the real estate market in areas situated on the archipelago is fundamentally determined by limited infrastructure, maritime distance from mainland Sulawesi, and the local economic base — which in this region is traditionally characterized by agriculture, fishing, and extraction of natural resources. Across Sulawesi Tenggara province as a whole, real estate development in recent decades has concentrated around Kendari and larger cities; in more remote, island areas, the pace of infrastructure investment is generally slower. According to the general framework of Indonesian property law, foreign nationals cannot acquire full ownership rights (Hak Milik) to real estate in Indonesia; for them, the so-called Hak Pakai (use rights) and Hak Sewa (lease rights) represent the most common legal frameworks, although the precise application and conditions of these forms require individual legal advice.
Safety and security
No itemized crime statistics, either at local or provincial level, are available for Bukit Permai in verified sources. Sulawesi Tenggara province in general terms can be classified among Indonesia's developing regions, where the assessment of public safety differs from that in major cities and in rural, more isolated areas. In small, island villages — as Bukit Permai presumably is — close community ties generally have a favorable impact on local public safety conditions, though this cannot be substantiated by concrete data from these sources. Travelers are generally advised to monitor information from local authorities and the current travel advisories issued by the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs or relevant country sources.
Tourist attractions
No tourist attractions specifically identifiable by name and directly associated with Bukit Permai appear in available sources. Wawonii island and Konawe Kepulauan regency as a whole belong to those parts of Sulawesi Tenggara which, due to their natural characteristics — island coastlines, tropical forests, and proximity to coral reefs — could potentially appeal to those interested in ecotourism and diving; however, specific attractions cannot be identified from these sources. Regarding the province as a whole, the more well-known tourist destinations in Sulawesi Tenggara (e.g., Wakatobi national park) are located in other regions of the province and lie at significant distances from Bukit Permai. Based on available data, the settlement can be characterized more as a rural location tied to local administration and agricultural life rather than as an established tourist destination.
Summary
Bukit Permai is a small, poorly documented settlement in Southeast Sulawesi, in Wawonii Barat district, as part of Konawe Kepulauan regency. From available sources concerning Sulawesi Tenggara province, the general geographic, demographic, and legal frameworks of the province can be outlined, but specific settlement-level data — population figures, infrastructure, real estate prices, or identified attractions — are not available. To assess the location and to make any investment or residential decisions, contacting local authorities and obtaining current, on-site information is necessary.
