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A girl in a bikini stands on a sunny day at the beautiful Kelingking Beach Nusa Penida Bali Indonesia.

Sending a Postcard from Indonesia & Bali: Postage, Duration & Stamps

From the beaches of Bali to the hustle and bustle of Jakarta – here's how to send greetings from the island nation without them getting lost in Indonesian coziness.
Photo by Darren Lawrence on Unsplash

Whether having Nasi Goreng on the beach or after a scooter tour through the jungle: Indonesia, with its more than 17,000 islands and above all Bali, is pure magic. An ideal place to make those left behind at home a little jealous with a real postcard for the fridge.

But analog mail in the world's largest island nation comes with a few challenges. The state-run "Pos Indonesia" works extremely leisurely, stamps are hard to find outside the orange post offices, and the tropical climate is the natural enemy of any greeting card. In this guide, you will learn everything about the current postage, the notorious delivery times, and how you can instead send your tropical greetings smartly and reliably straight from your sun lounger.

Last updated: April 2026

The Challenges of Indonesian Mail

Finding a mailbox between temples, volcanoes, and beaches can easily turn into a little adventure in Indonesia.
A traditional orange post office of Pos Indonesia, Kantor Pos Salatiga.
Photo by Fandy Aprianto Rohman

Look Out for Orange (Kantor Pos)

The Indonesian post ("Pos Indonesia") uses a bright orange color nationwide for its branches and mailboxes. When you see the orange logo with the white dove, you are in the right place for stamps ("Prangko").
An orange mailbox of Pos Indonesia in Jakarta.
Photo by CEphoto, Uwe Aranas

Patience is a Virtue

The journey from one of the over 17,000 islands to Europe is long. Logistics often depend on domestic flights and ferries. You should definitely expect to be back from your vacation long before the card lands in the mailbox at home.
Sign pointing to the reception of a hotel in Bali.
Photo by Bernard Hermant on Unsplash

The Hotel Reception Trick

Since traffic on islands like Bali or in big cities like Jakarta is often chaotic, a trip to the post office is hardly worth it. Many large hotels will gladly take your written cards at the reception and hand them collectively to the mail carrier.

Phrasebook: Kantor Pos (The Post Office)

Bahasa Indonesia is fortunately very logical and has no complicated tones. With these phrases, you can easily get your stamps anywhere in the country.
Good Morning / Good Afternoon

🇮🇩Selamat pagi / Selamat siang

🗣️Sla-mat pa-gi / Sla-mat si-ang

Where is the post office?

🇮🇩Di mana kantor pos?

🗣️Di ma-na kan-tor pos?

I need a stamp.

🇮🇩Saya butuh prangko.

🗣️Sa-ja bu-tuh prang-ko.

To Europe, please.

🇮🇩Ke Eropa, tolong.

🗣️Ke E-ro-pa, to-long.

Thank you very much!

🇮🇩Terima kasih!

🗣️Te-ri-ma ka-si!

How much is the postage from Indonesia to Europe?

Current prices for shipping via airmail. (As of: 2026)

Local Facts (Pos Indonesia)

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Postcard (Tourist Shop)approx. €0.50 - €1.00
Stamp (approx. 15,000 IDR)approx. €0.60 - €0.90
Total cost per cardapprox. €1.10 - €1.90
Effort on vacationScooter ride through island traffic to the Kantor Pos
Delivery time (Based on experience)Mostly 3 to 4 weeks (often longer)
Don't want to wait 4 weeks?

The Smart Alternative: SlickPostcard

Save yourself the scooter ride through the traffic of Kuta or Jakarta to the nearest post office. Just use the Wi-Fi at the beach club, design your card, and we'll handle the rest.

  • Use your own vacation photos straight from your smartphone as a real postcard
  • Fixed price €3.49 incl. worldwide shipping – no haggling required
  • Printed & shipped from Europe: Your card usually arrives in a few days instead of weeks later
  • No sweating in the Kantor Pos, no risk of your card getting soaked in the monsoon rain
Créer une carte postaleEn savoir plus
📸

Own Photos or Professional Motifs?

Did your monkey selfie turn out blurry? On Unsplash you'll find breathtaking Indonesia and Bali motifs that you can use for your card for free. Check out our step-by-step guide for more details!

Direkt zur Bildersuche:
IndonesiaBaliJavaRice terracesTemple
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✍️

Inspiration: Greetings that make you smile

„Selamat Pagi from Indonesia! I've already had Nasi Goreng for breakfast again today, was almost run over by a scooter, and a monkey tried to steal my sunglasses. It's fantastic here!“
„Sunny greetings from the beach club! The Bintang beer is ice cold, the Wi-Fi is mediocre, but the sunset is a perfect ten. We actually never want to leave.“
„Between volcanoes, waterfalls, and temples, we're sending you a little island magic home. Take a deep breath, we'll drink a fresh coconut for you!“

Let our AI write a creative tropical greeting for you!

Dein Text mit

Frequently Asked Questions about Postcards from Indonesia

How long does a postcard from Indonesia to Europe take?

This is where the infamous "Indonesian Time" (often called "Bali Time" by tourists) kicks in. Officially, airmail takes about 10 to 14 days. In reality, though, you should expect 3 to 4 weeks. Sometimes cards take two months to arrive – or sadly, not at all.

Why is my postcard from Indonesia not arriving?

In Indonesia, postal logistics across the many islands is complex. Delivery times to Europe are very long at 3-4 weeks. Sometimes a stamp is simply lost due to high humidity.

Where can I buy stamps in Indonesia?

The safest place to buy stamps (Prangko) is at the official branches of "Pos Indonesia". You can recognize them by the bright orange buildings and the dove logo. Some large hotels also sell them at the reception, but often with a small markup.

How much is the postage for a postcard from Indonesia?

The postage for a standard postcard to Europe currently costs about 10,000 to 15,000 Indonesian Rupiah (IDR). That is equivalent to about 0.60 € to 0.90 €.

Where do I drop off the postcard in Indonesia?

There are orange mailboxes in front of every Kantor Pos (post office) and sometimes at busy tourist intersections or large squares. Alternatively, you can just hand your stamped card to the hotel reception.

Where can I find free pictures of Bali or rice terraces for my postcard?

If the sky over the temple on your phone photo was gray, there are alternatives online! On image databases like Unsplash, photographers make millions of pictures available for free. You're sure to find what you're looking for with simple search terms like "Bali", "Rice Terrace" or "Nusa Penida". Check out our step-by-step guide for more details.