Underwater Post Office, VANUATU
Airing Date: Dec 20th, 2004
Vanuatu Post has created an official post office with a difference. It is the world's only underwater post office.
Situated within the Hideaway Island marine sanctuary, the post office sits in around three metres of water and both divers and snorkellers are able to post special waterproof postcards. If snorkellers cannot duck-dive down that far, Hideaway Island staff will be on the spot to help out.
The postcards are made from a synthetic product called Syntek. At this early stage, the only place you can buy them is at Hideaway Island or at the post office in town.
Vanuatu Post trained four of the staff to get their open water dive certificate, and sometimes the dive masters at Hideaway Island operate the Post office of their behalf.
Out of hours, the post cards can be posted in the underwater post box attached to the post office or taken to the main post office in town. All are guaranteed to receive the special cancellation from this unique underwater paradise before being delivered locally and internationally.
The sea is such an important part of life in Vanuatu. In addition to opening the world's only underwater post office, Vanuatu Post has issued a new stamp and mini-sheet featuring snorkelling.
Vanuatu is ideal for snorkelling, and has loads of good snorkelling spots and a wide range of spectacular sea life. Thanks to Vanuatu's Marine Park laws, the protected healthy coral reefs and abundant and varied marine life remain one of the Republic's greatest natural attractions.
The underwater post office has been extremely popular with both tourists and the marine life. Not only have there been hundreds of people posting cards from it, the fish are starting to call it home, and at one stage an octopus was eyeing off the post box next to the post office with a view to moving in! He eventually decided that he'd rather live in a nearby crevice and keep an eye on all the activity from there.
Vanuatu Post encourages visitors to literally look below the surface of this beautiful country and grab a mask, fins and snorkel, and visit the underwater post office.
The facts
Hideaway Island
Tel: 0011 678 22963 (international)
The Underwater Post Office is located off shore at Hideaway Island Resort, Vanuatu.
Underwater Post Office
Suggested reading material: Lonely Planet
Prices correct at 20/12/04
