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Things To Do in Cape Town

Robben Island

Table Bay, Cape Town, South Africa 8000
Description: Situated a little over 4 miles off the coast of Cape Town is the legendary Robben Island. Dutch for “Seal Island”, Robben Island is known less for its seals than its reputation as a center of detention and isolation for ...Read More
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Robben Island Reviews

Have you visited the Robben Island in Cape Town? We're always looking for more Robben Island reviews and photos. Contribute yours today.
Best of IgoUgo

Day Trip to Robbe Eiland

  • 3 out of 5 stars by uranus2359 from Melbourne, Australia
  • December 6, 2004
Quote: Named "Robbe Eiland" (seal island) by the Dutch in the mid-17th century due to its abundant seal population, Robben Island has seen much human suffering. As early as 1636, it served as a penal settlement and was taken over by the South African... Read the full Robben Island review

From journal Two Oceans ~ One Hope

Best of IgoUgo

Robben Island

  • 5 out of 5 stars by Eric Kater from New York, New York
  • April 20, 2004
Robben Island
Quote: My conversation with Mary was a good preparation for my visit to the infamous Robben Island, the South African version of Alcatraz. Robben Island sits out in the Cape Town harbor and is accessible by catamaran ferries that run on the hour from... Read the full Robben Island review

From journal Cape Town: A Paradise Complete with a Serpent

Best of IgoUgo

Robben Island

  • 4 out of 5 stars by SaraP from London, England
  • December 13, 2003
Robben Island
Quote: Robben Island (so-named by the Dutch after its earliest inhabitants -– "robben" means "seals" in Dutch) has a grisly, infamous history as a prison camp, initially in the days of the VOC, and more recently as South Africa’s answer to Alcatraz, to... Read the full Robben Island review

From journal Cape Town Pt 1 - City by the sea

Robben Island

  • 4 out of 5 stars by meadowlark from Boston, Massachusetts
  • March 5, 2003
Robben Island
Quote: We boarded the high-speed catamaran at the Nelson Mandela Gateway (by the red clocktower at the waterfront) at 8am. It was a half-hour boat ride out to the island. There was a nice video about onboard safety and the history of the island, but I was... Read the full Robben Island review

From journal Facing the Past: Historical Sights in Cape Town

Best of IgoUgo

Robben Island - The Prison in the Bay

  • 4 out of 5 stars by cutepz from Deerfield, New Hampshire
  • January 29, 2003
Robben Island - The Prison in the Bay
Quote: Robben Island is a small island in Table Bay. It was used as a maximum security prison for criminals for many years. During the years of apartheid, Robben Island began to be used as a political prison as well. Many leaders of the resistance movement... Read the full Robben Island review

From journal "A Visit to Robben Island"

Best of IgoUgo

Tour of Seal Island

  • 4 out of 5 stars by Linda Kaye from San Antonio, Texas
  • August 12, 2002
Tour of Seal Island
Quote: We sent out a one-woman scouting party to find out if there were any tours of the harbor and Seal Island - and sure enough, there was one leaving at 11:00 IF they could get 4 or 5 more passengers. At this point, we felt it was our "duty" to oblige.... Read the full Robben Island review

From journal Cape Town, South Africa's Mother City

Best of IgoUgo

Robben Island

  • 4 out of 5 stars by Heather F from Heywood, Victoria, Australia
  • October 28, 2001
Robben Island
Quote: It is from the jetties of the Waterfront area that a trip to Robben Island begins. Best known as the prison of apartheid and specifically Nelson Mandela, a tour provides a sad but moving tale tinged with hope for the future. A forty five minute boat... Read the full Robben Island review

From journal Cape Town Highlights

Robben Island

  • 3 out of 5 stars by allain from paris, France
  • November 6, 2000
Quote: In the middle of the Bay there is a small island. Full of rocks, a very poor vegetation, the wind blows strongly at this point. During the Apartheid this place was a jail. The most famous prisoner was Nelson Mandela. He stayed there for many years.... Read the full Robben Island review

From journal Cape Town

Robin Island Cruise.

  • 3 out of 5 stars by Art from Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
  • July 27, 2000
Quote: The Island prison where the now Ex-President of South Africa was Imprisoned. A 20 minute boat cruise will get you there. One spends approximately 45 minutes on the island with a guide who is usually one of the ex-inmates. It is an interesting and... Read the full Robben Island review

From journal Southern Africa and backpacking.