Big bad wolf book sale Jakarta 2026:
What to Know Before You Go

What kind of bazaar is Big Bad Wolf book sale?

During my visit to the first event in 2016, the Big Bad Wolf completely surprised me. It looks like a book warehouse, where millions of books pile up high on the counters. They are all English books; where else in Indonesia do we see millions of titles in English? Then came the best feature: the price is much cheaper than in the bookstore!

At Big Bad Wolf, you can find a wide range of books catering to different genres, starting with activity and coloring books for children, young adult novels and graphic novels. You'll see thousands of titles of romance, thriller, and mysteries in the fiction sections, while the non-fiction section has plenty of reference books, self-help guides, cookbooks, architecture and design, business and economics, religion, and languages. 

Over the years, we have seen more books in Bahasa Indonesia. On the other hand, English books are dominated by activity and coloring books for young children. In the Young Adult section, you will find classic books by Enid Blyton, the author of Famous Five, and books by Rick Riordan, the bestselling author of Percy Jackson, Kane Chronicles, and Heroes of Olympus. These books are also available in Bahasa Indonesia. Interestingly, Big Bad Wolf also stocks many language-learning books, including books to learn English, Mandarin, Korean, and more.

One thing I noticed in the Big Bad Wolf Book Sale was most of the items sold were past-year releases. On one occasion, I saw many old magazines (based on their issue numbers). I also found an interesting book on mushroom cultivation that referred to 2012 data and was still predicting the 2015 outcome when we were in 2023! On the other hand, we felt so lucky when we found our favorite novel, the Bone Code by Kathy Reich, which was published in 2021.

Book prices and how to find them

Previously, the price was tagged on the plastic wrap of every book. But now they only put an alphabet code on the plastic wrap, which you match with the price list. It is easy to locate the price list since they are on a stand with a bright color. The price starts from Rp. 10,000/book! Of course, the average price is much higher than that. For instance, a paperback English novel costs Rp. 80,000, a thin Mandarin myth storybook is priced at Rp. 45,000, and a box of bedtime storybooks costs Rp. 630,000, which is cheaper than the book price in any bookstore. No wonder many visitors filled their trolleys to the brim. Some even bought more than one book for each title. Big Bad Wolf receives payments in cash or non-cash, such as QRIS, debit cards, and credit cards. If you pay with a credit card, the sponsored bank offers a 0% installment when you reach a certain amount. Therefore, it is best to budget your spending before coming to this book sale, as you are the only one who can put a cap on how much you will spend here. A difficult decision though ;-)

Big Bad Wolf also has a section selling stuffed toys, bags, stationery, and T-shirts. Tired of book hunting but not quite finished browsing? You might want to take a break at the food stalls inside the bazaar.

Getting inside the Big Bad Wolf book sale is fun, but getting out is a challenge. As you can imagine, although it's fun, it takes time to browse through so many books. Tired and ready to pay, often you have to face a long queue despite the many cashiers there. The confusing queue is not helping either. Once you finish paying, you still have to show your receipt to the security at the exit door, who will match the receipt with your purchase. Due to the many books each visitor buys, it creates another long line. 

One last thing: if you live far from South Tangerang, Big Bad Wolf collaborates with a shipping company to deliver books to your home or your chosen destination anywhere in Indonesia. So you don't have to worry about bringing heavy books with you; once you have paid the books, visit the booth and ship them all.

Where is the Big Bad Wolf Book Sale in Jakarta?

Tap/click the map to get directions to ICE, BSD.

2026 Big Bad Wolf Book Sale for the Greater Jakarta area will be held in ICE BSD, South Tangerang, from April 29 to May 3.

Tired of bookhunting? How about checking out the surrounding area? For example, hang out in AEON BSD,  play in Scientia Square Park, or go wall climbing at Bremgra.