Once “home” to South Africa’s most famous political prisoners, including Nelson Mandela, Robben Island is one of South Africa’s most visited tourist attractions, and rightly so. Do not leave Cape Town without visiting the island – it is likely to be one of the highlights of your trip.
The island-museum of Robben Island is situated some 9km (5.5mi) offshore from Cape Town. Dubbed “Robben” (“the place of seals”) by the Dutch settlers, Robben Island was declared a World Heritage Site on December 1, 1997.
The island has a turbulent history. From the 17th to the 20th century it was variously a prison, a hospital and a military base. It is most famous for being a political prison during the era of apartheid, or racial segregation.
Many of South Africa’s most prominent freedom fighters spent time on Robben Island. Its most famous prisoner was Nelson Mandela, who spent 18 years on the island out of the 27 years he was imprisoned. It was here that Mandela and his fellow prisoners were subjected to hard labour.
Robben Island has an interesting mix of flora and fauna and Murray Bay, Robben Island’s small harbour, is home to 140 000 African penguins.
If you would like to experienced the wonders of Robben Island contact us for more information: e-mail: riverlodgebackbackers@gmail.com or call us 0027214480526
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