Gay life and tourism has flourished and today South Africa is one of the most favoured destinations for gay and lesbian travel. Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg and Pretoria have all become places where homosexuality is widely accepted and embraced.

In stark contrast to some of its northern neighbours, South Africa has learned to cherish not only its own queer daughters and sons, but also those fortunate enough to visit.

If South Africa is the world’s ‘rainbow nation’, then the Mother City is its reigning queen! So proclaims Cape Town Tourism’s gay and lesbian website. And it is certainly true that Cape Town, with its spectacular setting and great weather, is without doubt the gay and lesbian capital of South Africa, and one of the premier gay tourist destinations in the world.

But in addition to its incredible setting and ideal weather, Cape Town boasts a range of facilities of particular interest to gay visitors, whether they’re interested in exploring the natural splendor of the Cape or enjoying the stimulating nightlife, with its proliferation of gay and lesbian pubs, clubs, entertainment and organisations.

Cape Town abounds with beautiful, unspoiled sandy beaches, but two in particular are popular with gay and lesbian residents and tourists — Clifton 3rd Beach is the place to see and be seen, while Sandy Bay is a large nudist beach a short drive from the city bowl.

And situated in the heart of Cape Town’s working harbour with the dramatic backdrop of the majestic Table Mountain, the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront is widely acknowledged as Cape Town’s premier shopping and tourist destination and a well known entertainment hotspot. Here, an innovative fusion of history and modern convenience has resulted in a multi-purpose, dockside environment unlike any other in the world.

The Cape winelands are a short trip away, and the city hosts several fine art galleries, museums and craft markets of particular interest to tourists.

There are a large number of gay-friendly guesthouses in Cape Town and surrounds, and a profusion of bars, clubs, and other entertainment venues. The Gay and Lesbian Association of Cape Town (Galacticc) was formed specifically to promote Cape Town and the Western Cape as a gay and lesbian friendly destination. Their informative website has comprehensive lists of entertainment and accommodation, as well as links to other sites including gay life elsewhere in Africa.

The Gay and Lesbian Helpline (021 422 2500) operates from 1pm - 9pm daily and provides information on gay-friendly doctors, dentists, and psychologists among others, and in the event of a crisis, the Triangle Project is able to offer counseling to gay and lesbian visitors to Cape Town.

De Waterkant Village is the heart of gay Cape Town. The club strip is where you will find Bronx, Confessions and gay-friendly clubs like Opium and Purgatory. The Hot House Steam & Leisure club for men provides the perfect post-party ‘chill space’.

A first in Cape Town is the Long Street Turkish Baths that has women-only time set aside. There are regular ‘drag-shows’ at On Broadway in Greenpoint and Tableview. Numerous smaller towns around Cape Town, such as Stellenbosch and Darling, are geared towards making the tourist a happy creature. Darling is home to the Grande Dame of South African drag satire, Evita Bezuidenhout. Her restaurant and theatre, housed in an old railway station and named Evita se Perron (Evita’s platform), is well worth the drive.

For the more adventurous, the surrounding coast provides brilliant viewing of marine life such as penguins, seals, the great white shark and whales. Visitors who enjoy sunbathing should make a point of visiting Sandy Bay where swimwear is optional. For those who experience a fashion emergency or a boredom crisis, the Victoria and Albert Waterfront offers the latest styles and a range of entertainment.

December is when Cape Town’s most popular gay and lesbian event takes place, the Mother City Queer Project Festival (MCQP). A colossal costumed theme party which marks the start of the summer holidays, it is usually held in the middle of December each year.

Gay Media
The national gay newspaper, Exit is freely available and full of useful information and the only lesbian magazine ‘Womyn’ is published quarterly. Online gay portals are Q the Gayteway to South Africa and Mambaonline, a stylish gay lifestyle portal catering to the mind, spirit and body.

Events
Certain events on the calendar are also mainstays of South African queer culture. The annual Gay and Lesbian Film Festival, which generally held during February, showcases the best in the genre of the past year and also shows a number of classics. The festival runs concurrently in Johannesburg, Durban, Cape Town and Pretoria.

The annual Pride parade is enriched by a range of concurrent events in theatre, art, film, television and partying.

The town of Knysna on the famed Garden Route holds the annual Pink Loerie Festival , which features theatre, art and partying events. The annual Mother City Queer Project party held during December in Cape Town is fast becoming one of the biggest events on the international queer calendar. Each year's theme is unique and participants are expected to dress accordingly. Some recent themes were Farm Fresh, Toy Box, Army Camp, and The Wedding.

So, whether it’s clubbing you’re after or just breathtaking scenery, you’ll find it somewhere in South Africa. Come for a visit, you’ll be sure to arrive as a traveller and leave as a friend.