10 Most Remote Post Offices in the World
Dropping a letter in a corner mailbox is nothing noteworthy unless you’re doing it surrounded by penguins, deep underwater, or at the edge of a Himalayan cliff. Around the world, a few post offices operate in such remote places that just getting there is half the story. These places prove that delivering mail doesn’t always mean taking the easy route.
Penguin Neighbors at Port Lockroy, Antarctica
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On Goudier Island off the Antarctic Peninsula, the southernmost post office runs without plumbing or internet. Staff spend five months each year sorting 70,000 postcards while sharing space with over 1,000 nesting gentoo penguins. It also houses a museum and gift shop, and is located within what’s now a protected historic site.
Underwater Mailbox in Vanuatu
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About 10 feet below the surface of Hideaway Island, divers can send postcards from the only underwater post office on Earth. It opened in 2003 and uses waterproof cards that are hand-stamped with an embossed device. Staff sometimes dive down just to collect the mail.
Cave Post Office in Slovenia
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Inside Slovenia’s Postojna Cave system, mail has been sent from underground since the late 1800s. The current post office, situated in the Concert Hall chamber, is surrounded by glowing rock formations and echoing caverns. It’s still active today, right between walking paths and an underground railway that guides tourists through one of Europe’s longest show caves.
On Muleback in Arizona’s Grand Canyon
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Supai Village, home to the Havasupai people, is at the base of the Grand Canyon and still receives its mail by mule. The 9-mile journey starts at Hualapai Hilltop and takes several hours each way. Each mule carries up to 200 pounds of supplies, and the system runs six days a week.
Floating Facility on Dal Lake, India
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In Srinagar, Kashmir, there is a floating post office. It’s located on a carved wooden boat tethered to Dal Lake’s shoreline, serving as both a banking center and a small museum. The post office opened formally in 2011 and survived a major flood in 2014 when locals saved records by drying soggy ledgers in the sun.
Extreme Altitude at Hikkim, India
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At nearly 14,400 feet, Hikkim Post Office in India’s Spiti Valley handles mail year-round despite freezing winters and narrow mountain roads. It connects villages to the rest of the country through two postal workers who walk long distances across high-altitude terrain.
Coconuts in the Mail, Hawaii
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The Hoolehua Post Office on Molokai has been mailing coconuts—yes, actual coconuts—since 1991. Customers decorate them, write addresses directly on the shell, and pay postage starting around $12. The coconuts are inspected for agricultural compliance before being sent to surprise friends and relatives across the country via USPS.
Temporary Summit Office at Everest Base Camp
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China’s Everest Base Camp hosts the world’s highest seasonal post office. It’s open only from April to October and is situated at roughly 16,700 feet. The post office started as a military tent before gaining permanent features during the 2008 Olympics. Climbers send postcards from this thin-air outpost, some attaching photos and oxygen levels for good measure.
Northernmost Mail in Ny-Ålesund, Norway
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Svalbard’s Ny-Ålesund Post Office, located above 78°N, stays open all year for scientists stationed in the Arctic. It was once a mining settlement and is now a research hub where mail is processed in near-constant twilight or midnight sun, depending on the season.
Eiffel Tower’s First Floor, Paris
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Though not geographically remote, this tiny post office operates in a spot few mailrooms can claim, inside the Eiffel Tower. It was placed near the top during the 1889 World’s Fair and currently lives on the first floor. Visitors can send mail with custom Tower-themed stamps, which often become keepsakes for collectors or curious travelers.