Regions Of The Western Cape

The Western Cape is divided up into six distinct tourism regions, all of them offering the traveller to our great province an abundance of activities and accommodation options.

Read our small introductions of each region below to get more familiar with the Western Cape.

The most gay-friendly mother city you will find in Africa! Cape town is a vibrant mix of modern and cosmopolitan life, nestled at the foot of the impressive Table Mountain. This is truly an amazing city to visit with a national park in its limits and boasting three world heritage sites: Table Mountain National Park, Kirstenbosch and the famous Robben Island where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned.

Yearly, gay festivals make out an integral part of the tourism drive to invite people to our mother city, like the famous MCQP (Mother City Queer Project) and Cape Town Pride.

For Gay and Lesbian visitors to gay Cape Town, there are gay areas with clubs and restaurants, but you will find that entertainment and restaurants are widely spread throughout Cape Town and the surrounding areas at many venues where gay and straight mingle.

Cape Town also has the most gay owned / managed accommodation establishments in South Africa, as well as gay-friendly accommodation providers, ensuring your stay in this fantastic city will be memorable.

View more info on Cape Town from the official tourism website

The Cape West Coast region is located along the South West coast of South Africa. Known for its 16 mile beach at Yzerfontein, quaint sea-side villages and resorts, dolphin and whale watching, and birdwatching opportunities.

Among the many popular destinations in this area, you will also find Evita's Perron which is a cabaret and restaurant venue in the popular gay destination of Darling, home to our famous gay personality Pieter Dirk Uys, better known as Evita Bezuidenhout.

Visit The Official West Coast Website

Visit the largest wine producing region in South Africa. Though the main tourism attraction for this region is the over 200 wine and grape producing estates, you will find this area to be an absolute culinary experience, with an extensive list of things to do. Self drive options are probably the best to visit the numerous wine producing estates in this area, but there are many day tours available for visitors short on time, or not wanting to drive but enjoy the amazing scenery.

Towards Ceres, Touwsrivier and Montagu, you enter part of the succulent Karoo, the only arid ecosystem to be recognized as a global biodiversity hotspot.

A popular gay destination in the Cape Winelands is Tulbagh which has a few gay owned or managed accommodation establishments, including Shisa Guest Farm 4 Men, the only Men Only Guest Farm outside Cape Town in this region. The fertile valley is known for its fantastic wines due to its warmer weather,and is also known for olive oil, peaches, grains and pears and many notable examples of Cape Dutch, Victorian and Edwardian architecture.

More on the Cape Winelands region

The Cape Overberg region is South Africa's most southern region and stretches from the Hottentots-Holland Mountains in the west, to Swellendam in the east. It is here where the Indian and Atlantic oceans meet at Cape Agulhas. This area attracts thousands of visitors each year due to the immense beauty to be found here and the ever popular whale watching season from July to November.

Another popular gay destination can be found in the Overberg. The charming town of Barrydale has steadily grown over the years with gay community members moving here to enjoy the idylic countryside and great artistic community. It is also here where you will find the world-famous Magpie Art Collective which became a household name after supplying two recycled chandeliers to the White House in the USA.

More on the Cape Overberg region

The Garden Route in South Africa can be found along the South Eastern coast and has a semi-Mediterranean climate, making this a popular all year round destination. Here you will find stretches of pristine coastline, an abundance of natural beauty, spectacular fauna, flora and marine life, and every type of activity you can possibly think of. Among the activities you can participate in, you will find the world's highest commercial bungee jump.

The beautiful town of Knysna is a popular gay destination, especially with the Pink Loerie Mardi Gras & Art Festival held here each here usually at the end of April.

The Klein Karoo is a semi-arid region with untold beauty. Known for its ostrich farms, spectacular mountain passes, clear streams and some amazing flora to be found in this georgeous area. Quite a few winemakers make a living from vines grown close to the rivers, and Oudtshoorn is a favorite destination with its Cango Caves, Dias Musuem and the yearly KKNK (Karoo National Arts Festival), offering showcases of South African art forms from serious drama to farce and includes music, fine arts, festive food, poetry, theatre and dancing.

More info on the Garden Route & Klein Karoo region

The Karoo is a semi-arid area with an extremely interesting history and many geologist's dream with fossil-rich terrains to be found in this region. The area is home to largest selection of succulents on earth, while the largest San Rock art site in the Karoo can be visited at Nelspoort.

The Karoo National Park is home to the endangered black rhinoceros, quagga and riverine rabbit.

The beauty of this region is undescribable, and has to be experienced for oneself especially as it is fairly untouched and home to many game animals.

Prince Albert is a favorite gay destination in this region as it is a pretty, historic village and offers the perfect base from which to explore the awesome wonders of the Swartberg mountains including Gamkaskloof (The Hell) and Meiringspoort. Prince Albert is well known for its sun-ripened fresh and dried fruit, especially figs and apricots whilst Karoo lamb, olives, olive oil and homemade cheeses are all local delicacies.

More info on the Karoo region