Multilevel glass museum on V&A Waterfront with local political history exhibitions
Robben Island tells you about the life of political prisoners. How they were treated and what they went through in the hands of their captors. The island used to host lepers before it became a dumping site for prisoners. Lots of lessons to learn here. I suggest buying a ticket in advance or going to the office before 8am to get a ticket as it takes a major part of your day.
I had this place on my bucket list and whilst it was amazing to see, it did fall short of my expectations. The tour is done by an ex prisoner (great) but he spent more time preaching about loving each other than he did about what it was like being on the island. The bus to get around is fine but shame you’re not allowed to get off at the quarry. We were rushed around the exhibitions (told to take pics and read at home!). So whilst still worth a visit, if it gets rained/winded off then don’t be too disappointed!
A good half day trip to see where political prisoners were sent, Robben Island, about 30 mins on the boat, very comfortable, then a short walk to a bus that has a guide talking about the Island, then a stop at the Prison, to be guided by an ex prisoner around the prison, see where Nelson Mandela slept, what he slept on. The food they had to eat, and work they had to do. Very interesting trip. some good photo spots too.
We accomplished a lot in our short 6 days in South Africa, but this tour was one of the must see things. I no longer wanted to hear and see the watered down American version of the Mandela story. The lines to get on tour boats caught me off guard. There will be a lot of people taking these tours and the boat ride is not short. Tip: depending on where you sit on the boat, the air conditioning can get quite cold. May want to consider a light jacket. The highlight of this tour is hearing the actual words from individuals who were imprisoned with Mandela. Another highlight is seeing the cell that he was held captive in. The tour does require some walking and lots of standing, so if you’re challenged in those areas it may not be as enjoyable. I am glad that we did the tour but it definitely left us wondering how could any human being treat other humans like that. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. Mankind is still very violent and cruel. I didn’t keep track of the time but the tour will take at least a half day investment. There are one or two stops along the way for you to grab snacks and drinks if needed.
The absolute best thing I could've done for myself on my birthday! I've only ever been to Robben Island once before at age 14 but I got sick as soon as I got there, so I never got to experience any of it. There were mostly foreigners in my group except for one couple from Pretoria. The bus tour guide, Modisi and the prison tour guide, Max, were both so delightful. They're former political prisoners but were termed 'criminals'. They have such pure, honest souls and my heart broke for them as they shared their respective experiences during their time spent in prison. The fact that they're so humble, polite, funny, heartwarming and sincere despite all the torture they endured for years, astounded me. Today's generation can learn so much from them and this experience. I fought hard to hold back tears while listening to their stories. Everyone on the bus was super nice. They even sang Happy Birthday to me! I highly recommend taking this tour if you can afford to do so. If not, do it for free on your birthday! It's totally worth it!
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