When travelling to South Africa there are the obvious things to see and do such as go on a safari and see the amazing wildlife South Africa has to offer but what if you’ve been there and done that? Well if you’re looking for something a little different why not visit Robben island? This island was South Africa’s version of Alcatraz and was used as a maximum security prison, in fact it was the prison where Nelson Mandela was held for 18 years.

You can take a high speed boat ride out to the island where the prison still stands and they actually offer tours of the prison and the quarry where the inmates would have been put to work. The prison held many political figures during the apartheid era so the history with in its walls is extremely interesting.

The views from the island, in contrast to the prison, are truly beautiful, particularly the view of the cape mountains. This island is definitely worth a visit and it is rich in historical surroundings.