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Robben Island

Near Melkbosstrand · South Africa

Background

World Heritage since
1999
Type of site
Cultural
Apartheid prison
1961–1996

Robben Island was used at various times between the 17th and 20th centuries as a prison, a hospital for socially unacceptable groups and a military base. UNESCO says its buildings, particularly the late 20th-century maximum security prison for political prisoners, witness the triumph of democracy and freedom over oppression and racism.

The flat island takes its name from the old Dutch word for seals and lies about 11 km from Cape Town. Wikivoyage traces its uses: a refreshment station for ships from 1652, a prison from 1658, an asylum, a leprosy colony from 1890, a defence base from 1936 and from 1961 a prison again for opponents of apartheid. Nelson Mandela was held here for 18 of his 27 years before becoming president in 1994; two later presidents were also inmates. The prison closed in 1996.

More on the UNESCO listing More on Wikipedia

  1. 1488Bartolomeu Dias reaches Table Bay
  2. 1658Autshumato becomes the first political prisoner on the island
  3. 1890A leprosy colony is established
  4. 1961The island becomes a prison for opponents of apartheid
  5. 1996The prison closes
  6. 1999Inscribed as World Heritage

Find Your Way Around

The main parts of the site, in the order most visitors see them

  1. 1
    Maximum Security Prison
    Where Mandela spent 18 years; the GoGo guide notes a former prisoner leads the tour.
  2. 2
    The Ferry
    From the Nelson Mandela Gateway at the V&A Waterfront, next to the Clock Tower.
  3. 3
    Island Bus Tour
    A bus takes the tour round the island's 4.5 km length.
  4. 4
    Shipwrecks
    Wikivoyage lists four wrecks around the shore.
  5. 5
    Table Mountain View
    The city and the mountain from the water.

Know Before You Go

From Wikivoyage and the GoGo guides

Book on Arrival
Wikivoyage: visits are limited to 1,800 people a day and the wait can be up to two weeks, so book as soon as you reach Cape Town.
Allow Half a Day
Tours leave at 09:00, 11:00, 13:00 and 15:00 and take about three and a half hours; expect four to five hours door to door.
Rough Seas Cancel
The GoGo guide: trips are cancelled in rough seas, so keep a spare morning.
Pair with the Waterfront
Zeitz MOCAA and the V&A Waterfront are beside the ferry gateway.

The Island and the Waterfront

From the GoGo Cape Town guide · Open the Cape Town Guide ›

  1. 09:00
    Robben Island3.5 hrs
    The ferry, the prison and a former prisoner as guide.
  2. 14:00
    Zeitz MOCAA and the Waterfront2.5 hrs
    African contemporary art in a grain silo.
  3. 18:30
    Sunset on Signal Hill1 hr
    The city and the Atlantic.

Best Time to Visit

Best months: Oct–May.

Typical highs

Best monthsRain: wettest Jun (135 mm), driest Feb (15 mm)

Climate: NASA POWER

Pair It With

Other World Heritage sites nearby, by distance

WORTH A NIGHTDAY TRIPSAME DAYDistance not to scale · tap a site
Do These Together
The Cape Floral Region Protected Areas, including Table Mountain, are 63 km away; both are in the GoGo guide.
Sources
UNESCO World Heritage Centre, listing 916 · Wikipedia: Robben Island · Wikivoyage: Robben Island (CC BY-SA 4.0) · GoGo Cape Town guide · UNESCO listing