Bali Nine: Executions could be delayed, but no prisoner swap

Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan are now positioned on the island of Nusakambangan for execution. Photo / AP

The executions of Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan could be further delayed, but Indonesia's president has said "no way" to a prisoner swap offer.

The Australians, now positioned on the island of Nusakambangan for execution, can't be executed this week as Indonesia's Attorney-General HM Prasetyo has not signalled their 72-hours notice period has begun.

He also won't confirm they will be executed next week, telling reporters he wanted to be prepared for the smallest problem before the Bali Nine pair and up to eight others go to the firing squad for their drug offences.

"About notification, it's a minimum three days before the execution," he said on Thursday.

"It could be 10 days."

His comments come after President Joko Widodo reportedly told an al-Jazeera reporter off camera that the executions would not be this week.

Volunteers light candles to pray for Australian death row prisoners Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran. Photo / AP

Mr Joko on Thursday responded to a prisoner swap arrangement floated by Foreign Minister Julie Bishop in her last push to save Chan and Sukumaran from the firing squad.

Ms Bishop wouldn't detail the idea publicly but said it was relayed to her counterpart in Indonesia, Retno Marsudi, in a tense phone call.

The president laughed when asked about a swap arrangement.

"No way," he said.

He was determined that Chan and Sukumaran be executed.

"Look at how many die, our young generation,' he said, referring to victims of drugs.

"We have to look at the future."

The president said he hadn't spoken on Thursday to Prime Minister Tony Abbott, who has revealed he is seeking another telephone conversation.

The Sukumaran and Chan families, who arrived in central Java on Thursday, will attempt to visit the men on Nusakambangan on Friday.

But a friend of the death row inmate they are sharing a cell block with says access is difficult to negotiate.

Ursa Supit, a supporter of Raheem Agbaje Salami, says the men are speaking to each other but can't see each other.

She was able to meet the Nigerian in a small garden at Besi prison, where she found less security than she'd expected.

- AAP