Mail Wo’Men’ in Vanuatu ‘Dive’ to the Postal Station, World’s First Underwater Post Office

The island nation of Vanuatu is filled with many stunning visuals, but what stands out is a post office. Situated within the Hideaway Island marine sanctuary, the post office is unique because it is placed underwater, about 160 feet off the coast, according to Smithsonian Magazine. The post office opened for service in 2003 and was the first of its kind in the world.

The underwater post office was conceptualized by a local postmaster and a resort owner. The objective was to give tourists a way to post letters from their vacation. To protect the letters, the mailbox was established with a converted fiberglass water tank by the authorities. The setup is submerged three meters beneath the surface of Mele Bay, a water body connected to the Pacific Ocean. Since its establishment, many other places have followed suit and established an underwater post office. Similar facilities are now available in Risør (Norway), Susami (Japan), and Pulau Layang-Layang (Malaysia).

Divers and snorkelers can post special 'waterproof postcards' in the mailbox, according to Vanuatu Post. If people face issues posting the letters deep into the water, the Hideaway Island staff is always present to help them out. 'Opening hours' of the mailbox are posted on the beach in Hideaway Island. A special flag is raised on a float above the mailbox site to indicate that postal workers are underwater.

Many workers have reportedly received their open water dive training to operate this unique establishment. At the beginning of every workday, the postal staff deals with the collected letters, supplying them with a stamp using a special device created just for this post office. Beyond the main hours, people can put their 'underwater' posts in a special post box on land. Officials will ensure that it receives the distinct postmark before being delivered locally and internationally. Individuals can also use this method if they don't want to dive deep into the waters but still want a special memory.

These letters do not have any ink writing, according to Atlas Obscura. This is because ink would get botched inside water, therefore, all the letters posted in this mailbox have embossed messages. Tourists and civilians for years have been enjoying this unique establishment, along with the natural beauty of Mele. 

"Every week, hundreds of postcards are dropped off at the underwater post office," Vira Timbaci, a post office official, shared, according to Smithsonian Magazine. "The number goes up when cruise ships come into port." Initially, every local post official was given diving training to manage the unique post office, however, it soon became a difficult pursuit. Now, several dive masters on the site help post officials in their work.

Timbaci often dives to the underwater post office. According to him, the journey is absolutely breathtaking. "Swimming to the post office is a great way to see the local sea life," he said. "It really is beautiful here."