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. Its buildings, particularly those of the late 20th century such as the maximum security prison for political prisoners, witness the triumph of democracy and freedom over oppression and racism.
General tours currently depart daily at 09:00, 11:00, 13:00, and 15:00, weather and demand permitting. The full tour takes about 3.5 hours including ferry time.
Current general tour prices are ZAR 600 adult / ZAR 310 child for non-South Africans and ZAR 400 adult / ZAR 210 child for South Africans.
Robben Island is an island in Table Bay, 6.9 kilometres (4.3 mi) west of the coast of Bloubergstrand, north of Cape Town, South Africa. It takes its name from the archaic Dutch word for seals (robben), hence the Dutch/Afrikaans name Robbeneiland, which translates to Seal(s) Island.
Read more on Wikipedia →Summary excerpted from the Wikipedia article Robben Island, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Text may be clipped or paraphrased to fit this page.