Gusi – a small settlement in Teluk Arguni Atas District, Kaimana Regency, West Papua
Gusi is a small settlement in Papua Barat (West Papua) Province, part of Kaimana Regency (Kabupaten Kaimana) and located in Teluk Arguni Atas District (kecamatan). Based on its geographical coordinates (-3.1001625, 133.8482142), the settlement is situated south of the equator on the western side of Papua Island, within the broader Teluk Arguni Bay region. Kabupaten Kaimana was established as an independent administrative unit in 2002 under Law No. 26/2002, with its administrative seat in Kaimana city, located in Kaimana District. Since publicly available statistical data specific to settlement level for Gusi is currently not accessible, the following description is largely based on verifiable data at the broader regency and provincial levels.
General overview
Gusi is one of the small villages in Teluk Arguni Atas District, and a detailed public database specific to this settlement is not yet available. The total area of Kabupaten Kaimana on land and sea combined is approximately 36,000 km², with the terrestrial portion comprising roughly 18,500 km² and the marine and water surface portion accounting for approximately 17,500 km². At the end of 2023, the regency had a total population of 64,252 residents, with nearly two-thirds of the inhabitants (approximately 43,154 people, or about 67% of the total population) living within Kaimana District, meaning the rest of the regency's territory — including Teluk Arguni Atas District — is very sparsely populated. This indicates that Gusi is a locality belonging to a relatively small and remote administrative unit. The area is characterized by dense tropical rainforests, rugged coastlines and bays, which are collectively defined by the Teluk Arguni Bay system. The livelihood of local communities generally depends on fishing, small-scale agriculture, and the utilization of forest resources, which is a widespread way of life in peripheral areas of West Papua.
Real estate and investment
No settlement-level real estate market data specific to Gusi is available, so the following reflects the broader context of Kabupaten Kaimana and Papua Barat Province. Sparsely populated and difficult-to-access areas of Kaimana Regency generally do not belong to Indonesia's actively marketed real estate markets; investment activity is typically concentrated in Kaimana city, the regency's administrative seat, while in more distant districts — such as the Teluk Arguni Atas area — there is virtually no documented formal real estate market. Under regulations generally applicable in Indonesia, foreign nationals cannot acquire full ownership rights (Hak Milik) over real estate; long-term lease arrangements (Hak Sewa, Hak Pakai) are available to them under specified conditions. In Papua Barat Province, real estate development is further complicated by customary law regulations governing indigenous land claims, which necessitate thorough legal scrutiny before formal transactions. The region's limited infrastructure development and logistical accessibility currently severely constrain commercial-scale investment interest in smaller, peripheral villages.
Safety and security
No published, settlement-level public security statistics specific to Gusi are available. In general terms, remote, small-population settlements in Kabupaten Kaimana and Papua Barat Province are typically characterized by low levels of organized crime, which is partly a consequence of low population density and closed community structures. However, in certain parts of the region — particularly in difficult-to-access interior areas — police presence and state services may be limited, presenting certain public security organizational challenges. In the broader context of Papua provinces, local-level disputes over resource utilization occasionally occur, affecting community lands regulated under customary law, but these cannot generally be characterized as a trend applicable to Kaimana's peripheral villages. Reliable information about Gusi's specific security situation can only be obtained from on-site research or direct queries to Indonesian government databases.
Tourist attractions
No named tourist attractions specific to Gusi settlement are listed in any verified source. The broader Kabupaten Kaimana area, however, possesses noteworthy natural geographical assets: the regency's combination of terrestrial and marine territory (totaling approximately 36,000 km²) encompasses extensive tropical forests, bays, and marine habitats associated with coral reefs, which could in principle be attractive to those interested in nature walks and diving. The Teluk Arguni Bay region, to which Gusi District is connected, offers varied coastal and waterfront landscapes, although tourist infrastructure remains extremely limited outside the regency's administrative center. Visitors to the area must be prepared for the fact that Teluk Arguni Atas District is difficult to access by land, the area is primarily reachable by water, and hospitality and accommodation capacity is minimal.
Summary
Gusi is a small Papuan settlement, administratively belonging to Teluk Arguni Atas District and Kabupaten Kaimana, for which detailed, settlement-level public data is currently not available. The broader regency is a sparsely populated, difficult-to-access area where economic activity and the real estate market are heavily concentrated in Kaimana city center. The natural environment is valuable, but tourist and investment infrastructure in peripheral villages — including the Gusi area — is developed to only a very limited extent. To obtain more comprehensive and reliable information, on-site research or direct queries to Indonesian government databases are necessary.
