Robben Island, South Africa - Ferry Ride, Radisson Blu Hotel Waterfront

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Once “home” to one of South Africa’s most famous political prisoners, Nelson Mandela, Robben Island is one of South Africa’s most visited tourist attractions.Robben Island is located some 9km offshore from Cape Town. Dubbed “Robben” - “the place of seals” by Dutch settlers, the isle was acknowledged a World Heritage Site in 1999, and over the centuries has been used as a prison, a hospital, a mental institution, and a military base. It is most illustrious for being a political prison during apartheid, an era of racial segregation in South Africa, when many of South Africa’s most famous freedom fighters spent time here. Nelson Mandela spent 18 years of the 27 years he was behind bars here.