Robben Island

Many a wayward pirate has been deposited on a desolate island as punishment, and some have lived to tell the tale!

Robben Island, which means "Seal Island" in Dutch, is situated only 7.5 mi (12km) off the coast of Cape Town. The Island is roughly circular and about 0.6 mi (1km) wide and today is home to a number of varieties of wild life as well as voluntary residents!

Don’t be fooled by it's close proximity to the land though, it is a long swim in icy waters for any brave prisoner and this was proven when it was used as a place of exile and imprisonment for over 400 years.

It now represents a symbol of the South African Heritage since becoming a living museum in 1997. Robben Island is most famous for the imprisonment of former President Nelson Mandela. He spent 27 years on the Island.