katsuma tanaka / UnsplashBest time to visit
Year-round; book the ferry from the V&A Waterfront well ahead, as weather can cancel sailings
Off the coast of Cape Town in Table Bay, Robben Island held political prisoners under apartheid — most famously Nelson Mandela, who was imprisoned here for 18 of his 27 years behind bars. It was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999.
Ferries depart from the V&A Waterfront for guided tours of the prison and the island, many led by former inmates whose first-hand accounts make the visit one of South Africa's most moving experiences.
Sources
Verified · 2 sources
- UNESCORobben IslandUNESCO World Heritage Centre
- Tourism boardRobben Island — be humbled by heroesSouth African Tourism
Facts last reviewed Aug 24, 2026.
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