Become a Virtual Tourist Member Today!  Sign Up for Free | Sign In
Robben Island / Museums, Cape Town
Search:

Home » Travel Guides » Africa » South Africa » Province of the Western Cape » Cape Town » Things To Do » Robben Island / Museums Reviews

Cape Town Hotels

Real reviews from real travelers.

Robben Island / Museums, Cape Town

In one of the large cells - Cape Town
In one of the large cells
by Jasoninlondon
Robben Island / Museums tips and photos posted by real travelers and Cape Town locals.
• 81 Photos
• 65 Reviews

See all Cape Town Things To Do
Sort By:  Most Recent | Best Rated
Robben Island / Museums: Ferry to Robben Island to get best Table Top Pics!
  • Tip Rating:
  • jumpingnorman
  • Updated By jumpingnorman on February 1, 2009
  • Cape Town Page by jumpingnorman
  • Nice pic of Table Mountain on ferry to Robben Isle - Cape Town
    Nice pic of Table Mountain on
    ferry to Robben Isle
    by jumpingnorman
    The ferry going to Robben Island was great because you get to catch the most beautiful pictures of Table Mountain. On the boat, you will be able to get the most complete panoramic picture of Table Mountain as sailors of long ago saw it for the first time...But, on the ferry, they have a limited amount of people who sit at the upper deck. So, if you are intent on getting those good pics, be sure to go up the ferry early to secure a seat.

    Robben Island was where Nelson Mandela was locked up for years and years. The prisoners are still alive and there are volunteers who give the tour and were prisoners themselves. This adds a personal touch to the tour as well as making aware that all of this apartheid happened just recently. The amazing thing is that the ex-prisoners have embraced the concept of peaceful reconciliation for the sake of unity within the country.

    Leave a Comment

    Not Helpful 1 2 3 4 5 Very Helpful

    Visiting Cape Town?

    Read reviews about Cape Town Hotels

    Real Reviews from Real VirtualTourist Members.

    Robben Island / Museums: ROBBEN ISLAND.
  • Tip Rating:
  • PEE-WEE
  • By PEE-WEE on March 4, 2005
  • Cape Town Page by PEE-WEE
  • Robben Island / Museums - Cape Town
    by PEE-WEE
    Robben Island Museum offers guided tours to the Island where visitors can view the many historic sites,such as the cell of former President Nelson Mandela, the prison house of Robert Sobukwe,the lime quarryand the historic lighthouse.

    The Nelson Mandela Gateway buildingat the V & A Waterfront in Cape Town provides a passage for a pilgrimage to Robben Island, and a vital link between the mainland and the Island.

    The building includes a 120 - seater auditorium as well as an interactive, multi - media exhibitions and conference facilities.
    Exhibitions are drawn from the UWC- Robben Island, Mayibuye Archives.

    Tickets are sold at the Nelson Mandela Gateway to Robben Island situated at the Clocktower precinct at the V&A Waterfront.

    Doors open from 07h30 - 17h00 daily.
    Ferries depart promptly at the times indicated.
    Group tours can be accommodated by special arrangement.

    Leave a Comment

    Not Helpful 1 2 3 4 5 Very Helpful
    Robben Island / Museums: ROBBEN ISLAND.
  • Tip Rating:
  • PEE-WEE
  • By PEE-WEE on January 17, 2005
  • Cape Town Page by PEE-WEE
  • ROBBEN ISLAND. - Cape Town
    ROBBEN ISLAND.
    by PEE-WEE
    Robben Island: The famous prison on Robben Island has now been proclaimed a UN World Heritage Site. The standard guided tour is 2.5 hours long and is lead by one of the prison's former inmates. The guide is always happy to answer your questions, particularly about Robben Island's most famous resident Nelson Mandela.

    Leave a Comment

  • Address: ROBBEN ISLAND.
  • Directions: ROBBEN ISLAND.
  • Not Helpful 1 2 3 4 5 Very Helpful
    Robben Island / Museums: Cool outing for the family
  • Tip Rating:
  • cokes
  • By cokes on December 11, 2004
  • Cape Town Page by cokes
  • Robben Island - Cape Town
    Robben Island
    by cokes
    For nearly 400 years, Robben Island, 12 kilometres from Cape Town, was a place of banishment, exile, isolation and imprisonment. It was here that rulers sent those they regarded as political troublemakers, social outcasts and the unwanted of society.

    During the apartheid years Robben Island became internationally known for its institutional brutality. The duty of those who ran the Island and its prison was to isolate opponents of apartheid and to crush their morale. Some freedom fighters spent more than a quarter of a century in prison for their beliefs.

    Those imprisoned on the Island succeeded on a psychological and political level in turning a prison 'hell-hole' into a symbol of freedom and personal liberation. Robben Island came to symbolise, not only for South Africa and the African continent, but also for the entire world, the triumph of the human spirit over enormous hardship and adversity.

    Prices for tour available at Cape Tourism Board.

    Leave a Comment

  • Address: Boat Ride to Robben Island.
  • Phone: +27 21 555 3100/3600
  • Directions: Boats are available at the Cape Town Tourism Offices at the Clock Tower, V&A Waterfront.
  • Website: www.robben-island.org.za
  • Other Contact: info@tourcapetown.com
  • Not Helpful 1 2 3 4 5 Very Helpful
    Robben Island / Museums: Robbens Island
  • Tip Rating:
  • Jim_Eliason
  • Updated By Jim_Eliason on December 28, 2008
  • Cape Town Page by Jim_Eliason
  • Robbens Island - Cape Town
    Robbens Island
    by Jim_Eliason
    This is the infamous penal colony where Nelson Mandela among others where kept during the Apertheid years. Half day tours are available from the V&A waterfront.

    Leave a Comment

  • Phone: 27 (0)21 409 5100
  • Directions: Tours orginate for the V&A waterfront in a special building museum in front of the clocktower plaza.
  • Website: http://www.robben-island.org.za/
  • Not Helpful 1 2 3 4 5 Very Helpful

    Visiting Cape Town?

    Read reviews about Cape Town Hotels

    Real Reviews from Real VirtualTourist Members.

    Robben Island / Museums: Nelson Mandela's cell
  • Tip Rating:
  • Jenniflower
  • Updated By Jenniflower on May 23, 2006
  • Cape Town Page by Jenniflower
  • Mandela's cell - Cape Town
    Mandela's cell
    by Jenniflower
    "The tragedy of Africa, in racial and political terms [has been] concentrated in the southern tip of the continent - in South Africa, Namibia, and, in a special sense, Robben Island."
    - Oliver Tambo

    Robben Island tells us a story: about victory over Apartheid and other human rights abuses. Many future South African leaders were prisoners at some point on the island. So it has an image today of past oppression which became triumph.

    Robben Island has had other uses besides that of a prison.

    It was a training & defence station in World War II (1939-1945) and a hospital for leprosy patients, and the mentally and chronically ill (1846-1931). In the 1840s, Robben Island was chosen for a hospital because it was secure (isolating dangerous cases) and healthy (providing a good environment for cure).

    Since 1997 it has been a museum, which acts as a focal point of South African heritage. It runs educational programmes for schools, youths and adults and has a large tourism-focused agenda now.

    Some ex-political prisoners act as tour guides on the island, one of Cape Town's World Heritage Sites.

    This cell was the cell of renowned and much-loved freedom icon, Nelson Mandela. He was imprisoned here for 17 of the 27 years he was imprisoned in South Africa during the apartheid era.

    Leave a Comment

  • Address: Robben Island - off Cape Town Peninsula
  • Directions: Go to Cape Town harbour and take a ship out to the island
  • Website: www.robben-island.org.za
  • Not Helpful 1 2 3 4 5 Very Helpful
    Robben Island / Museums: Robben Island
  • Tip Rating:
  • queensgirl
  • Updated By queensgirl on October 19, 2004
  • Cape Town Page by queensgirl
  • Robben Island - Cape Town
    Robben Island
    by queensgirl
    This is where Nelson Mandela was kept a political prisoner along with other political prisoners. Is it a short boat ride from the Nelson Mandela gateway at the V & A Waterfront. The tours were given by ex-prisoners who now live on the island. It was a humbling experience for me.

    Leave a Comment

  • Address: P.O. Box 51806 Nelson Mandela Gateway
  • Phone: +27(0)21 413 4200
  • Directions: V&A waterfront and just book a trip from there
  • Website: www.robben-island.org.za
  • Not Helpful 1 2 3 4 5 Very Helpful
    Robben Island / Museums: Robben Island
  • Tip Rating:
  • IIGUANA
  • By IIGUANA on December 3, 2003
  • Cape Town Page by IIGUANA
  • Robben Island - Cape Town
    Robben Island
    by IIGUANA
    This island is where they kept Nelson Mandela for 27 years, because of the apartheid. The tour is quite interesting and heartbreaking, and is something that everyone must do so these type of s***t doesn't occur again anywhere in the world. Be prepared. The tour guides are very specific about everything, and they are former Robben Island inmates.

    Leave a Comment

  • Directions: Take the tour at the V&A Waterfront.
  • Not Helpful 1 2 3 4 5 Very Helpful
    Robben Island / Museums: Boat trip to Robben Island
  • Tip Rating:
  • Jenniflower
  • Updated By Jenniflower on May 23, 2006
  • Cape Town Page by Jenniflower
  • Cape Town Harbour - Cape Town
    Cape Town Harbour
    by Jenniflower
    This is an enjoyable boat trip. I have done this one, plus one form Simon's Town, and another from Hout Bay. All are lovely.

    This is a more cultural one.

    If you are in luck you might see whales, dolphins and a glorious mixture of seabirds and mammals' seals are a must of course! You will definitely see these here!

    This specific cruise is about 2 hours long and various boating companies offer it at Cape Town Harbour.

    Best to price around and see who gives you the best deal.

    Leave a Comment

  • Address: Robben Island - off Cape Town Peninsula
  • Directions: Go to Cape Town harbour and take a ship out to the island
  • Website: www.robben-island.org.za
  • Not Helpful 1 2 3 4 5 Very Helpful
    Robben Island / Museums: ROBBEN ISLAND
  • Tip Rating:
  • BerniShand
  • By BerniShand on September 14, 2006
  • Cape Town Page by BerniShand
  • B section, Nelson Mandela`s cell was along here - Cape Town
    B section, Nelson
    Mandela`s cell was along
    here
    by BerniShand,
    4 more photos
    10 kilometres out in Table Bay Robben Island was a prison for over 300 years, right from the earliest settler days. It has been notorious for its inhumanity and brutality not only for political and criminal prisoners but for those suffering from leprosy, the chronically sick and people with serious mental health problems too
    Now even though a visit can be disturbing and shocking it is a symbol of the great change in South Africas thinking and a constant reminder of the unified way forward

    A trip to Robben Island starts at the Gateway on the V&A Waterfront, it is usually necessary to book tours in advance, you must go through the Gateway building to board the ferry and you will have to pass through security screening. There is wheelchair access, if you use a wheelchair do advise them at the time of booking. While you wait for the ferry there are several interesting displays in the waiting room
    The whole tour including boat trip takes about 3 1/2 hours, when you arrive at the island you board busses for an interesting 45 minute guided tour of the island, our guide gave us lots of good information on the history, flora and fauna of the island, then we entered the the maximum security prison where we were guided by an ex-political prisoner who gave us real insight into the life here. It could [and perhaps should] have been a very depressing tour but it wasnt, rather we emerged after it with more understanding and empathy with the struggles of the people here, and gratitude that the dark days are gone
    wheelchair access in the prision is possible but difficult

    Robben Island is now a National Monument and a World Heritage site, tours cost R150 for adults, and R75 children over 4 to 17, under 4 years old are free

    Leave a Comment

  • Address: Table Bay, Cape Town
  • Phone: 021 413 4220
  • Website: www.robben-island.org.za
  • Not Helpful 1 2 3 4 5 Very Helpful
    More Cape Town Tips
    Overview
     
    Hotels and Accommodations
    Tips: 251 - Photos: 268
    Things To Do
    Tips: 1,283 - Photos: 1,875
    Nightlife
    Tips: 90 - Photos: 50
    Transportation
    Tips: 130 - Photos: 95
    Restaurants
    Tips: 356 - Photos: 305
    Shopping
    Tips: 103 - Photos: 91
    Off the Beaten Path
    Tips: 195 - Photos: 212
    Tourist Traps
    Tips: 36 - Photos: 27
    Warnings or Dangers
    Tips: 118 - Photos: 68
    Local Customs
    Tips: 67 - Photos: 56
    Packing Lists
    Tips: 40 - Photos: 18
    Sports Travel
    Tips: 59 - Photos: 78
    General Tips
    Tips: 242 - Photos: 249
    Flights
    Tips: 33 - Photos: 0

    Best Cape Town Travel Deals

    Cape Town Tours
    Combine Cape Town & a Kruger Lodge. Luxury Tours at Excellent Rates!

    Lodging Hotel
    Up to 50% off Hotels at Expedia. No Expedia change or cancel fees!

    Newark NJ Hotel
    Brand New Facility & Shuttle Bus 11 Minutes from the Newark Airport!

    Cape Town from $1105* RT
    *taxes incl., NYC dep. by 12/09/09 *weekday fare, Limited seat avail.

    125 Hotels in Cape Town
    Book your Cape Town hotel online. Save up to 50% on your reservation.

    Sponsored Links

    More Cape Town Travel Deals

    Cape Town Accomodation
    Book Online or have our Experts plan your stay! Great Rooms & rates

    Holiday in Cape Town
    Speak to someone who's been there! Experience award winning service

    Gorgeous Poncho Cape
    In plaid, paisley & hounds-tooth, it brings you warmth & style.

    Sponsored Links


    Cape Town Hotels





    About VirtualTourist |  10 Great Things to Do On VirtualTourist |  Contact Us |  Press Center |  Help |  User Agreement |  Privacy Statement
    Virtual Tourist® ©1994-2009 VirtualTourist.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved.