Sekongkang is a small village split into two sections: Sekongkang Bawah (Lower Sekongkang) and Sekongkang Atas (Upper Sekongkang). The regional government lists the population of Sekongkang as 6,561 people living on 305 square kilometers. That estimate seems rather high for just Sekongkang; it seems likely that Maluk is included in this figure. The population density is a whopping 22 people per square kilometer. We are currently living in Yoyo Hotel which is located relatively in Sekongkang Bawah, although actually we are about a five minute drive from the actual village. We are in the process of building a house in Sekongkang Bawah which we hope will be finished in a few months. Sekongkang Bawah has an elementary school and a middle school. A pukesmas (public health center) was just finished and is waiting for staff to be assigned there. Sekongkang Bawah also has a small market and a variety of small shops selling the usual things: drinks, rice, noodles, laundry detergent, soap, cigarettes, and other daily necessities of life. Of course, Sekongkang also has a mosque.

The pace of life in Sekongkang is slow - a 15 minute walk will take you from one end of the village to the other. As most of the island is still developing, there is a very rural feel to just about everywhere that you go. Horses, water buffalo, and goats wander the road grazing here and there. There is no phone service in Sekongkang, so cell phones (called HP - pronounced ha-pay) are necessary if you want to get in touch with anyone in the outside world, although there is a telephone kiosk in Sekongkang Atas where you can make a call. Sekongkang has electricity although it is sporadic from what we hear. We've been told to buy a back-up generator in order to keep our refrigerator running during the frequent power outages.

The big mining company, Newmont, has a gold and copper mine down in the southwestern corner of the island. Their presence has speeded up the development process. A lot of construction is going on in Sekongkang and the surrounding areas. We are just one of the many families building new houses here. There are now four hotels in the Sekongkang area that run from the upscale Hotel Tropical which now has the airport to Yoyo's which is cheaper but still too pricey for most surfers and backpackers to Rantung just down the road from Yoyo which is cheaper but doesn't offer much other than being directly on the beach to Hotel Mega Arafah which is in the village about five minutes from the beach and has cheap rooms and a pleasant atmosphere.

As far as the local expats go, Hotel Tropical is their hangout outside of townsite. A few drop over at Yoyo's for drink ocassionally. Surfers tend to come for a few days and then move on to another beach down here always looking for the best waves.

The local elementary school, SD1, is not bad. My children seem to enjoy school for the most part and are doing better than the did in their private school in Bali. There are about 100 students in SD1. Just across the road from the elementary school is a new middle school which Newmont had a large part in building.

Sekongkang is the kind of place that you can get to like if you are fond of small town life. If you like excitement, a variety of entertainment and shopping opportunities, Sekongkang is going to get old very quickly. I find it quite enjoyable.