Singaporeans love a good bookstore, and for years, the massive Kinokuniya at Ngee Ann City has been the undisputed heavy hitter. It’s huge, meticulously curated, and a staple of Orchard Road. But if you’re willing to take a short trip across the border, there’s a spot in Johor Bahru that is completely redefining the bookstore experience. The book spectacle we speak of is BookXcess at Sunway Big Box just 20 minutes from the checkpoint. In fact, it’s the largest bookstore in Malaysia’s southern region. Here’s why you need to add this mega bookstore to your next Johor Bahru itinerary.
What makes this JB bookstore worth the drive?
The BookXcess at Sunway Big Box is built inside a massive warehouse-style space spanning 32,000 square feet. The immersive and visually stunning literary escape is the perfect sanctuary for book lovers to unwind and get lost in over a million titles.
The iconic bookstore features a towering 7.5-metre-tall glowing bookshelf that serves as a highly instagrammable centrepiece, as well as a secret Children’s Cave tucked inside the main display, providing a cosy, carpeted reading nook specifically designed for young readers.
Beyond its impressive aesthetic appeal, which feels straight out of an interior design magazine, it is celebrated for making reading accessible to everyone by offering brand-new and high-quality books at remarkably affordable prices often discounted up to 80% off standard retail prices.
From popular fiction novels to young adult specials, premium coffee table books, children’s literature and more…you’ll pay a fraction of what you’d pay back home.
Meanwhile, the bookstore offers a cafe where you can grab a cup of coffee and a sweet treat to enjoy after browsing.
Sunway Big Box Retail Park, is located in Iskandar Puteri, close to the Second Link. It is only a 15 to 20-minute drive from the Tuas Checkpoint. Otherwise, you can reach BookXcess at Sunway Big Box in just over 25 minutes from the Woodlands Checkpoint.