A few years ago, my now-wife and I were deep in wedding planning when she looked up at me, exasperated, and said, “Can’t we just skip all of this and get straight to the honeymoon?” I grinned – as a travel lover, our honeymoon to South Africa was one of the things I was most looking forward to about getting married. (Although our wedding day did end up being one of the best days of my life. And hey, I got a wife out of it!)
At the end of 2018, we spent a little over two weeks on our honeymoon in South Africa’s Western Cape, and our trip turned out better than I could have imagined. I now recommend it as a destination to all of my friends! I especially recommend South Africa to all of my fellow queer folx out there. It’s a great way to experience Africa, especially when you’re celebrating your relationship and don’t want to be constantly wondering if it’s safe to do so. Read on to find out why South Africa is the perfect lesbian honeymoon destination!
The views near Chapman’s Peak (and really, anywhere in South Africa) are hard to beat.
South Africa was the fifth country in the world to legalize marriage equality
The first thing I think about when going on any trip as a queer person is safety. South Africa is very progressive in terms of LGBTQ+ rights, especially compared to the rest of Africa. For example, South Africa legalized same-sex marriage in 2006. It was the fifth country in the world, and the first (and currently only) country in Africa, to do so. This means that you can tell all the hotels and restaurants that you just got married, and they will celebrate it with you like any other newlywed couple (which will hopefully come with a complimentary drink or dessert)!
South Africa also has constitutional legal protections against the discrimination of LGBTQ+ people. While this doesn’t guarantee you won’t face any discrimination on your honeymoon as a lesbian couple (sadly, that can never be guaranteed, no matter where we are in the world), it does provide some additional comfort to know that people might think twice about being hateful.
Luckily, my wife and I didn’t experience any issues with discrimination while in South Africa on our honeymoon. During one of our first dinners of the trip, we were still unsure how much we were comfortable disclosing about our relationship, so we tried not to be too obvious. At the end of the meal, our server asked us what brought us to South Africa. When we explained we were on our honeymoon, she laughed and said we should have told her sooner – she would have given us some sparkling wine to celebrate! As a lesbian couple, being treated like any other couple on their honeymoon enabled us to let out a collective sigh of relief, and we felt much more comfortable for the rest of the trip.
Cheers to being able to sit back, relax, and enjoy our honeymoon without having to worry about being ourselves!
Cape Town is the LGBTQ+ capital of Africa
As a result of the safety protections described above, South Africa is one of the best gay destinations to visit. However, Cape Town specifically is known for being very queer friendly! It’s a very cosmopolitan, liberal city, and even has a gay neighborhood, De Waterkant! If you want to make gay and lesbian friends on your honeymoon, or stay in a neighborhood that you know is welcoming, this is the place to be.
While my wife and I didn’t visit any specific gay bars in the area, we did stay in nearby Bo-Kaap and wandered around De Waterkant to the V&A Waterfront, and felt very safe and accepted in the area. As with most large cities, it’s advisable not to walk around alone at night, but during the day, we never ran into any issues!
De Waterkant is also the center of Cape Town’s pride festival every February/March if you’re really looking for a party!
Read more: Top Safety Tips for Queer Travelers
There are a vast array of activities to choose from
And now for the fun part: actually enjoying your trip! Is your idea of the perfect honeymoon lounging on the beach? Hiking all day for those gorgeous, mountain-top views? Adventures and adrenaline to keep you from being bored? Sipping wine at world-class wineries? In South Africa, you can do all of the above! Here are just a few of my favorite activities from our honeymoon that I recommend to all other lesbian couples!
Rainbow beach huts on Muizenberg Beach.
Relaxing on the beach
A relaxing day at the beach is one of the most quintessential honeymoon activities out there. I won’t lie though – after spending one day at the beach, I’m usually ready to move on to the next activity. Luckily, the area around Cape Town has plenty of unique beaches to offer.
Camps Bay Beach
Camps Bay Beach is one of the most popular beaches in the city of Cape Town. It offers gorgeous views of the mountains behind you and the water in front of you. However, it was fairly crowded when we went. There were also merchants frequently walking up and down the beach trying to sell hats and artwork to tourists.
Muizenberg Beach
Muizenberg Beach is famous for two things: surfing and its colorful beach huts. These huts were formerly changing stations for beachgoers, but are now more of an attraction than anything. The rainbow colors of these huts make it a must-see for any lesbian couple on their honeymoon!
Me and my new BFF at Boulders Beach!
Boulders Beach
Boulders Beach is less about relaxing on the beach and more about its famous residents – the penguins! Penguins have been one of my favorite animals for as long as I can remember, and being surrounded by them in their natural habitat was truly delightful. I could watch their little bodies scuttle in and out of the ocean for hours on end – it was just too cute!
Bloubergstrand Beach
Bloubergstrand Beach was a last minute addition to our honeymoon itinerary, and I am so glad we added it! While this beach is a little bit outside of Cape Town, it was much less crowded than Camps Bay Beach. It also had stunning views of Table Mountain and the city (as you can see in this post’s cover photo!). It’s typically quite windy and therefore popular with windsurfers.
Lighthouse at the Cape of Good Hope.
Hiking
Once you’re sufficiently relaxed from the beach, it’s time to get some exercise! Cape Town and the surrounding areas have tons of mountains and hiking options for various skill levels.
Table Mountain
Table Mountain is one of Cape Town’s most famous landmarks. Its flat top looms over the city and is especially beautiful in the evenings when the clouds roll over it. You can choose to hike all the way to the top, or take a cable car to the top and hike around once you’re there. For purposes of time, we chose the latter, and still got plenty of views and steps in!
Gorgeous views of Lion’s Head and the Cape from atop Table Mountain.
Lion’s Head
Lion’s Head is Cape Town’s other most famous landmark, and a popular day hike with moderate intensity. Unfortunately, I got a stomach bug the day we were supposed to complete this hike, but I’ve heard many good things about this hike (and the views!) from others. It’s on our list for next time, for sure!
Cape of Good Hope
The Cape of Good Hope is perfect for a weekend trip away from Cape Town. Not only is this peninsula historically famous (it gave ‘hope’ to sailors returning to Europe that they were almost around Africa), but it’s also gorgeous. There is a funicular you can take to a lookout near the lighthouse, as well as numerous hikes in and around the peninsula. I could have spent much more time here soaking in the views of deep blue water and vast clear sky.
An elephant wanders past a safari vehicle during a game drive at the Garden Route Game Lodge.
Going on safari
Did you even go to Africa if you didn’t go on a safari?? All kidding aside, there are several good options for adding a South African safari to your honeymoon itinerary. Kruger National Park is probably South Africa’s most famous safari destination, but was too far away from Cape Town (where we spent most of our honeymoon). However, if you are visiting the eastern part of the country, it is a must-see!
On the west coast, I’ve heard good things about Gondwana Game Reserve and Sanbona Wildlife Reserve. However, we ultimately chose to spend our two nights on safari at the Garden Route Game Lodge. While not a completely free-range park like Kruger, the goal of the park is to reintroduce animals to the lands that were once natural to them before humans pushed them out. Between sunrise and sunset game drives, a pool overlooking the bush, and nights in our private bungalow with the doors open listening to wildlife, we had a magical and romantic experience.
Grootbos Private Nature Reserve is also a great option for those interested in marine animals such as whales, dolphins, seals, and penguins.
Wine country is my kind of country!
Wine tasting
Spending a day (or two…or three) wine tasting is a must when visiting South Africa. The rolling hills of the Stellenbosch region are home to numerous world-class wineries and are often compared to Napa Valley, California. Some of my favorites are Babylonstoren (with plenty of locally-grown food options to pair with your wine, as well as vast gardens to explore), Jordan Wine Estate, and Delheim (for a wine and cupcake pairing!). I can think of few things that bring me more joy than the simplicity of sharing a good bottle of wine and some cheese and charcuterie with my wife.
The colorful houses of Bo-Kaap set against Lion’s Head at sunset.
Learning about the local culture
I always aim to learn about the culture of a destination when I visit, and my honeymoon was no exception! A visit to Robben Island is a must for any visitor. This is the island jail where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for 18 years during apartheid. It’s a sobering visit, but well worth it to learn more about an important part of South Africa’s past. In addition to learning more about the apartheid, you’ll get some great views of Cape Town on the boat ride over.
Another cultural destination is the Bo-Kaap neighborhood. Bo-Kaap is famous for its Cape Malay cuisine (a mixture of traditional South African and Malaysian cuisines, representative of the diverse people in the neighborhood). Its colorful houses dotting the hillside are some of the oldest in the city. Although the area is currently facing some gentrification issues, traditionally it is home to a predominantly Muslim community. These homes will make your rainbow lesbian honeymoon dreams come true!
Diversity
South Africa is sometimes known as the ‘Rainbow Nation,’ and once you visit, it is easy to see why. In addition to various traditional African influences, there are also Dutch, Indian, and Malaysian influences in the culture as well. The country even has 11 official languages!
I love visiting diverse countries because it means that there is a higher likelihood of my wife and I fitting in and being accepted for who we are.
But I won’t lie – there were parts of the trip that were hard, like when we were driving past the vast, underdeveloped townships, or when we had to skip our hike up Lion’s Head because I got a stomach bug from trying so many unique foods. Many travel guides I read before our trip glossed over the harder parts of South Africa’s culture. This gave me some culture shock to witness the wealth gaps and racial tensions leftover from apartheid.
As queer travelers, I think it’s important that we are prepared for the harsher realities of our destinations, and are open to experiencing the good and the less glamorous. And when I started to feel overwhelmed with helplessness while driving past those townships, it was helpful to remember that tourism is a huge part of South Africa’s economy. Continuing to travel, visit local establishments, and tip generously is one way we can all contribute.
We really did have the best honeymoon ever!
Overall
South Africa exceeded my wildest dreams with its beauty and diversity. And, as a lesbian couple, we were so thankful not to have to worry about our sexuality while on our honeymoon. In South Africa, we were able to just be who we are and enjoy our romantic time away. It was perfect! Do you have other lesbian honeymoon destination suggestions? Let me know in the comments! I personally consider every wedding anniversary another opportunity for a honeymoon-style trip, and am always looking for suggestions!
Read more: South Africa Travel Guide
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This post was last updated on June 20, 2020.
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