Imagine snorkeling over a coral reef and dropping a postcard into a mailbox on the sea floor. It’s real, and it’s happening in Vanuatu!
The underwater post office
Off Port Vila’s coast, Hideaway Island hosts the world’s only underwater post office. A fiberglass mailbox sits about three meters below the surface in a marine sanctuary.
Opened in 2003, this quirky attraction allows any snorkeler (no scuba license required) to send a real, waterproof postcard from beneath the sea.
How snorkel-mail works
- Buy a waterproof postcard: Purchase a special waterproof postcard and postage at Hideaway Island (~660 VUV each, about S$7.15).
- Gear up: Put on your snorkel mask, fins and reef-safe sunscreen. Rentals are available on-site (~700 VUV) if you’ve forgotten yours.
- Follow the reef path: Swim out a short distance off the beach until you spot two floating platforms with buoys. The submerged mailbox lies directly between them, approximately three meters below the surface.
- Drop your card in: Slide the postcard into the mail slot. The local post staff (often a dive instructor) visits daily around 3pm to collect the mail. Each card is embossed with a special underwater cancellation stamp on the spot.
- Celebrate: Pop up to the surface and revel in the novelty; you’ve just mailed a postcard from under the sea!
- Need help?: If you can’t dive down far enough, Hideaway’s staff will scuba-carry your postcard for you.
Getting there
- Flights: Fly into Port Vila’s Bauerfield International Airport. Direct routes link Port Vila with Brisbane and Sydney (Australia), Nadi (Fiji), and Auckland (New Zealand). Many travellers connect via Australia or Fiji.
- From Port Vila to Hideaway: Take a local minibus (~150 VUV per person) or taxi to Mele Bay. At Mele Bay, a short free ferry shuttle runs to Hideaway Island (runs often, even late if you stay overnight).
Practical tips
- Fees: Carry cash in Vanuatu Vatu. A day pass costs ~1200 VUV. Bring small bills because card machines on the island can be unreliable.
- Gear: Having your own snorkel mask and fins is a plus (though rentals are available). Also wear reef-safe sunscreen and sturdy water shoes or reef socks to protect your feet from sharp coral.
- Timing: Aim for a calm, sunny day on a weekday or non-cruise day for clearer water and fewer people. Hideaway’s underwater post office flies a yellow flag at the surface when mail staff are on duty.
- Photo Ops: Hideaway Island is a protected marine sanctuary, so your snorkeling-side mail delivery comes with bonus views of healthy coral and colorful fish. Keep an underwater camera or waterproof case ready, you’ll likely swim among parrotfish, wrasses, tangs and even turtles on your way to the mailbox.
Sending a “snail mail” postcard from under the sea is a truly unique Vanuatu adventure and a story no one back home will believe!
So grab your snorkel gear, take the ferry out to Hideaway, and deliver a little surprise from the ocean depths.
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This article was first published in Wego.
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