Boke – a small settlement in Kecamatan Sape, Kabupaten Bima, on Sumbawa Island
Boke is an Indonesian village located in the Nusa Tenggara Barat (West Nusa Tenggara) province, within the Kabupaten Bima territory, specifically in Kecamatan Sape. Based on its coordinates (-8.5521708, 118.9470422), it is situated in the eastern part of Sumbawa Island within the Lesser Sunda Islands macroregion. According to provincial sources, the two largest islands of Nusa Tenggara Barat are Lombok (in the west) and Sumbawa (in the east), and the majority of the population living on Sumbawa Island is composed of the Bima (also known as Mbojo) and Sumbawa ethnic groups. Administratively, Boke belongs to Kecamatan Sape, which encompasses the area overlooking Sape Bay, located in the southeastern corner of the island.
General overview
No independent settlement-level source material is available for Boke, therefore the following description is based on the generally known characteristics of the broader administrative units – primarily Kabupaten Bima and Kecamatan Sape – and should be understood within that context. Kecamatan Sape is a district in the southeastern part of Kabupaten Bima and includes the Sape port, which is one of the most important ferry connection points between Sumbawa and the neighboring Komodo Islands, as well as the eastern territories of Nusa Tenggara Barat. The region is a rural area with relatively modest infrastructure based on agricultural and fishing activities. Kabupaten Bima encompasses the eastern part of Sumbawa, and the majority of its inhabitants belong to the Bima (Mbojo) ethnicity, which has its own language, cultural traditions, and local sultanate heritage. Nusa Tenggara Barat province had a population of 5,666,314 in mid-2024 and consists of eight kabupatens and two kotas as administrative units; the provincial capital is Mataram city, which is located on Lombok. Boke itself is a smaller rural community serving ordinary local functions, with its role primarily limited to the local level within Kecamatan Sape.
Real estate and investment
Specific real estate market data for Boke or Kecamatan Sape is not available in the available sources, therefore the following information reflects general economic conditions of Kabupaten Bima and Nusa Tenggara Barat province. The real estate market in the province – particularly outside the area of influence of Lombok and the Mandalika Special Economic Zone – is typically characterized by lower prices and more moderate investment activity compared to the country's more developed tourism regions. Kabupaten Bima is a relatively underdeveloped district relying primarily on agriculture and fishing, where property transactions predominantly serve local needs and speculative investment activity is moderate. An important general framework to note is that in Indonesia, foreign nationals cannot acquire full ownership rights (Hak Milik) over land or property; the property rights available to foreigners include Hak Pakai (usufruct rights) and Hak Sewa (leasehold rights), the conditions and terms of which are regulated by law. Any local real estate transaction should be consulted with an Indonesian legal expert and local notary (notaris).
Safety and security
Criminal statistics or direct data relating to public security for Boke settlement are not contained in the available sources, therefore only the generally known context of the broader region can be objectively presented. Rural areas of Nusa Tenggara Barat province are generally characterized by life organized within rural community frameworks, with the everyday sense of security generally at an acceptable level for locals. In certain areas of the province – particularly in less frequently visited rural districts – infrastructure and law enforcement presence are less developed than in larger cities or established tourism zones. It is recommended for all travelers to inform themselves about current local conditions from reliable sources before arrival and to apply customary travel safety precautions.
Tourist attractions
No independent tourism source material is available for Boke, therefore specific local attractions cannot be identified from source material. One of the most notable characteristics of the broader Kecamatan Sape area is that ferries depart from here toward Komodo and Rinca Islands, where the world's largest living lizard, the Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis), lives; this is the Komodo National Park, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Sape Bay itself and its coastline, as well as the entire eastern coastal strip of Kabupaten Bima, are considered interesting for coastal and nature-based opportunities. The Bima region is generally known for its local Mbojo cultural heritage, including the traditions of the former Bima Sultanate, traces of which can be found in Bima city, the regency capital. These sites are within the vicinity of Boke, though verified source data on precise distances is not available.
Summary
Boke is a smaller, rural settlement in Kecamatan Sape, Kabupaten Bima, in the eastern part of Sumbawa Island, in Nusa Tenggara Barat province. In the absence of direct settlement-level data, the locality is situated within the general economic, cultural, and natural geographic context of Kecamatan Sape and Kabupaten Bima. The region is embedded in the cultural sphere of the Bima (Mbojo) ethnicity and is close to Sape port, which functions as a strategic transit point toward Komodo National Park. From a real estate and investment perspective, the region represents a quieter market primarily serving local needs, in which involvement of local legal expertise is essential for any transaction.
