Jakarta. International floating book fair Doulos Hope has arrived in Jakarta for a monthlong exhibition featuring thousands of books and cultural exchange programs, nearly four decades after its sister ship Doulos visited the Indonesian capital in 1988.

Operated by German nonprofit organization GBA Ships -- short for Gute Bücher für Alle, or “Good Books for All” -- Doulos Hope travels internationally with a volunteer crew and a mission centered on sharing knowledge, help and hope.

The Jakarta visit allows the organization to reconnect with Indonesian communities while introducing the floating book fair to a new generation.

Doulos Hope Project Coordinator Madalena said the visit was not simply a commercial stop but an opportunity to establish lasting relationships with local organizations and communities.

“We want to create relationships; we want to create partnerships with organizations and communities here. Our last visit was so long ago that we always wanted to come back and re-establish these relationships,” Madalena said at a press conference in Jakarta on Monday.

She said the nearly four-decade gap since Doulos visited Jakarta also means the organization can now reach generations whose parents or grandparents may have boarded the earlier ship.

“Maybe people who visited the Doulos at that time are now having children, and the children have their children. So we want to share this with the new generations as well,” she said.

After completing its Jakarta program, Doulos Hope is scheduled to continue its Indonesian voyage to Batam.

The ship carries around 100 volunteers from 35 countries. In addition to operating the book fair, crew members will interact with local communities through activities and discussions covering topics including parenting, relationships and hope.

More than 2,000 Book Titles
Doulos Hope carries more than 2,000 book titles spanning education, personal development, business and children's literature.

Madalena said the books are offered at affordable prices to make them accessible to a broad range of visitors.

The floating book fair will be open to the public from Sept. 16 through Oct. 11, 2026, Tuesday through Sunday from 1:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. It will be closed on Mondays.

Because the ship is berthed inside a restricted area of Tanjung Priok Port, visitors cannot travel directly to the vessel.

Instead, they must check in at the North Jakarta Youth Center (GRJU), which will also provide parking for visitors arriving in private vehicles and can be reached by public transportation.

Organizers will operate shuttle buses from the youth center to the ship.

Admission is Rp 15,000 per person and includes the shuttle service. Entry is free for children aged 12 and under and visitors aged 65 and above.

Visitors can register and purchase tickets online through official links provided on Doulos Hope Indonesia's social media channels.
 

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