Foreign Tourists Enter Satonda Island Freely, Dompu Regency Government Responds

Satonda Island, located in the open sea, is one of the popular destinations frequently visited by foreign tourists. Administratively, Satonda Island falls within the territory of Dompu Regency, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB).

Secretary of the Dompu Culture and Tourism Office (Disbudpar), Feri Afrodi, revealed that the Dompu Regency Government has never received retribution fees from foreign tourist visits to Satonda Island. According to him, tour agents bringing groups of foreign tourists have never communicated with the Dompu Regency Government.

“The tour guides never communicate with us when they plan to come. So they are free to come and go,” Feri told detikBali on Saturday (29/8/2026).

Tourists visiting Satonda Island typically engage in various activities such as diving, snorkelling, trekking, and enjoying the saltwater lake. According to detikBali’s investigation, most of the tour agents come from outside Dompu, such as Sumbawa, Lombok, and even Bali.

Foreign tourists pay travel packages to travel agents. They arrive at Satonda Island using boats, vessels, and even cruise ships. After enjoying the beauty of Satonda Island, they then leave, and none stay overnight in the Dompu area.

According to Feri, the Dompu Culture and Tourism Office, together with the Bima Immigration Office, has conducted monitoring on Satonda Island. In a month, approximately 10 cruise ships dock at Satonda Island.

“We have no regulation to pressure them. We should have a regulation to compel them to pay every time they enter Satonda Island,” said Feri.

Feri expressed hope that the Dompu Regency Government can design regulations governing retribution fees for foreign tourists visiting Satonda Island, particularly for tour groups arriving at the island using travel packages from outside Dompu.