Gay Interest

South Africa constitution prohibits discrimination on the grounds of – among other things – gender or sexual orientation, which makes it the most gay-friendly country in Africa, and one of the most gay-friendly countries in the world.

All the usual attractions – game viewing, birding, beaches, cultural attractions and a range of adventure activities – make this a great destination in general, but a number of gay-owned tour operators and guest houses make it a tad more comfortable.

Even better, though, the major cities have a pretty vibrant nightlife catering for both straights and gays – and anyone in between. Cape Town, particularly, is a great place as it has a huge gay population with all the attendant nightlife, but it's also just generally a great place to visit. In December, the Mother City Queer Project is a festival of fabulousness – a fantastic fantasy of frivolity. In short – it's one of the greatest parties in the world. It's the biggest thing on the Cape Town social calendar and it attracts a huge crowd of extravagantly costumed people of all shapes, colours, sizes, genders and sexual orientations.

Not quite in the same league as the MCQP but "dahling, it's fabulous, just totally off the wall" - the Pink Loerie Mardi Gras in late May transforms the usually quiet and genteel Garden Route town of Knysna into a party zone of note with all manner of revelries and DJ's spinning a beat every night. Knicknamed 'Gay May,' it stretches over four days and gets bigger and better every year with festive street festivals and cabarets. Sip your pink gin, slip into something slinky and slick on those falsies, glitter and gloss to trip the lights fantastic - but don't trip over your pink feather boa or magenta stilletos!