Cape Town: The Ultimate Honeymoon Guide for LGBTQ+ Couples

Nov 29, 2025 0

If you're planning a honeymoon to Africa, there's no better destination than Cape Town. South Africa is the perfect introduction to the African continent for LGBTQ+ travelers because, unlike the rest of Africa, same-sex marriage is legal, and there are legal protections against discrimination.

Known as a must-visit spot for romantics, this stunning destination is where mountains meet the sea, offering countless experiences.

Getting Around Cape Town

Navigating Cape Town is easy with various transportation options available:

Uber: One of the best ways to get around Cape Town. The distances between most of the top attractions are short, making it a cost-effective option for your trip.
My CitiBus: Another affordable way to get around the city is with the My CitiBus service. You can buy a transport code from one of the stations and top it up as you go.
Rent a Car: Cape Town is rather spread out, and with many things to do around the Cape and beyond, it is recommended renting a car. Gas stations accept both cash and credit, but not all. There will be a sign outside telling you if they accept credit or not, but it’s a good idea to always have some cash on you just in case.
Rent a Scooter: Scooters and Vespas are very popular in Cape Town. There are few vistas as breathtaking as the oceanic drive around Cape Point.

Once you're here, though, having a car is a good idea if you want to get out of the city. However, if you plan to take tours and stay in the city, don’t get a car. Parking can be tough to find at times and isn’t always the best option as break-ins are common.

Romantic Accommodation in Cape Town

You’ll find that most of the hotels and accommodation offerings are centered near the beaches or the V&A Waterfront area. However, there are some magical luxury and boutique hotels around Cape Town that are worth a little extra drive for a stunning, relaxing, and serene atmosphere.

Read also: Planning Your Trip to Cape Town

Singita Ebony Lodge

POD Camps Bay: A stunning boutique hotel, situated right on Camps Bay beach! It’s walkable to a choice of restaurants and bars, plus their breakfast is top-notch.
Curiocity: Located in the city center, this chic hostel is perfect for budget travelers. Take your pick from a selection of en-suite private rooms, dormitories, and air-conditioned pod accommodations. From premium deluxe rooms to communal backpackers and hostel suites, Curiocity caters to all budgets and group sizes.
VRBO Rentals: VRBO rentals are abundant in Cape Town and offer some beautiful properties at affordable prices!
Tintswalo Atlantic: Known as Cape Town’s hidden gem, Tintswalo is a 5-star award-winning lodge that offers views, unlike any other. It’s located a little out of town in Hout Bay, but all the rooms offer an incredible view of the Atlantic Ocean and make you feel like you are at home. You can whale watch out of the comfort of your own room!
Twelves Apostles Hotel: Nestled at the foot of the iconic Table Mountain, this hotel is a luxury escape in the heart of Cape Town. Interested in sipping tea by the sea in an outdoor gazebo? Twelves Apostles can make that happen. The award-winning luxury resort offers stunning rooms and exquisite dining.
The Silo Hotel: The Silo Hotel is an old grain silo that was open from 1924 to 2001. It was then turned into a luxurious hotel consisting of 28 rooms including a one-bedroom penthouse. The room categories range from the silos rooms, including harbor views and a balcony, to the royal suites which featured 2 bedrooms and a balcony.
Ellerman House: With only 13 rooms, the Ellerman House focuses heavily on customer service and paying attention to detail. Rates include breakfast, drinks, wine tasting, a minibar, and a private chef.
South Beach Camps Bay: South Beach is a gorgeous collection of waterfront apartments in Camps Bay. As you can imagine, they are fairly luxurious and have modern amenities, flat-screen TVs, free WI-FI, oceanfront views, and continental breakfast served in-room.

Culinary Delights: Restaurants and Markets

One of the best things about Cape Town is that the city has an almost endless list of places to eat. And don’t get you started on the Cape Town markets! Cape Town also has an incredible coffee culture. There are loads of cute cafes all around the CBD, and the city is even home to one of the best coffee shops in the world!

Coffee Shops

Truth Coffee: Grab your daily cup of joe at Truth Coffee!
Tribe Coffee: Tribe is an exceptional café in the heart of Cape Town.
Bootlegger Coffee: A small chain across Cape Town, Bootlegger coffee shops have quickly become a favorite.

Breakfast & Brunch Spots

Clark’s: Perfect for breakfast or brunch!
Jason’s Bakery: I highly recommend The Bomb Breakfast at Jason’s Bakery.
Bootlegger: It’s not just a coffee joint.
Loading Bay: Located on the Waterfront, the Loading Bay is a beautiful place to grab a quick morning meal.
Bobo’s Brasserie: Bobo’s Brasserie is a good beachfront spot in Mouille Point that’s perfect for brunch or lunch.

Markets

The Old Biscuit Mill: The Old Biscuit Mill is a heartfelt collaboration between chefs, designers, photographers, and other artists in and around town.
Oranjezicht City Farm Market: The Oranjezicht Market is open every Saturday and Sunday and has quickly become my favorite market in the city.

Restaurants

Test Kitchen: Located in The Old Biscuit Mill, The Test Kitchen is a blend of South African and Latin cuisine with inventive dishes.
Shortmarket Club: With the same owners as The Pot Luck Club and The Test Kitchen, this restaurant is another big hit.
The Stack: Named one of the top restaurants in Cape Town, you can’t go wrong with a visit to The Stack.
Kloof Street House: Located at the foot of the city’s vibrant Kloof Street, is a beautiful Victorian house.
Tjing Tjing: A 200-year-old house in the heart of Cape Town is where you’ll find some of the best Japanese food in the city.
Hesheng: For authentic Chinese food on a budget, visit Hesheng in Sea Point.
Kyoto Garden: An award-winning Japanese restaurant in the trendy suburb of Gardens.
Obi: Located on Cape Town’s vibrant Long Street, Obi serves up some of the city’s best ramen and sushi.
Hokey Poke: From the shores of Hawaii to Cape Town is the latest trend to hit the city: poke bowls.
Cod Father: Codfather Seafood & Sushi is a lively restaurant that’s always full of hungry patrons.
Sevruga: With incredible views of Cape Town’s V&A Waterfront, Sevruga is a delicious fine dining experience.

One of our favorite places we always visit while in town is the CodFather. But what we love is that there are no menus here. You just go to the fish counter and pick out what you’d like to eat. For more upscale dining, there are also places like Nobu, and for a taste of South African game meat like ostrich or kudu, check out Belthazar.

The City Bowl tour lasts for about 4.5 hours and includes 10 tastings.

Wine and Cocktail Bars

South Africa has certainly made a name for itself when it comes to wine. It’s also just a fun date night idea in Cape Town overall! If you want to have a nice dinner with ample opportunities to taste wine, then definitely head to Balthezar on the V&A Waterfront. It is the biggest wine-by-the-glass bar in the world! So if you want to try a lot of different wines together, this is the place.

Read also: Cape Town Hotel Experience

And you can’t miss the chance to go out at Harrington Street. This place has a cocktail bar, a dive bar, a rum bar, and a live performance venue all in one location.

There are tons of things to do in Cape Town during the day, and the city doesn’t slow down after sunset.

Village Idiot: If you want to grab a drink with the locals, head to The Village Idiot.
The Gin Bar: Tucked away behind Honest Chocolate in a hidden courtyard is The Gin Bar.
The Stack: Located in the center of Gardens, The Stack is one of Cape Town’s most Instagrammable bars.
The Silo Hotel Bar: The Silo Hotel has one of the best rooftop bars in Cape Town to watch the sunset.

Adventure and Activities

You can’t run out of things to do in Cape Town. If you’re an adventure lover, it’s especially a great place for you-from water sports to hiking, windsurfing, paragliding, and helicopter tours, you can get your adrenaline fix.

For active couples, hike Table Mountain for breathtaking views, explore Cape Point for sightings of ostrich and historic shipwrecks, or kayak alongside Heaviside’s dolphins.

Depending on the time of year you’ll be visiting, I’ve also rounded up my favorite things to do in Cape Town in the summer and in the winter months.

Read also: Luxury Shopping in South Africa

Scenic Drives

Take a drive along the beautiful coastal road to scenic Cape Point. The highway will take you through stunning coastal views-Muizenberg’s colorful beach huts, Kalk Bay, Simon’s Town, Boulders Beach (penguins!), Sentinel Peak and to the winding Chapman’s Peak Road.

Chapman’s Peak Drive is well worth it for epic views of the Cape Peninsula and ocean.

Trails with the Best Views Around Cape Town - For Hikers, Photographers, & Nature Lovers

Hiking Trails

Need to escape the city?

Lion’s Head: One of the more popular hikes in Cape Town is Lion’s Head.
Skelton Gorge: For a longer hike, make your way up Skelton Gorge.
Newlands Forest: There are multiple hikes that you can take inside Newlands Forest.
Kloof Corner: Only a 20-minute hike up the slopes of Table Mountain, this is one of the best short hikes in the city.

You can hop on the cable car to scale nearby Table Mountain and see its panoramic views.

Beaches

Cape Town is home to quite a few beautiful beaches. The most famous beach is Clifton 2nd located on the western coast.

Sometimes a beach day is just the best.

Tours

Several companies offer scenic helicopter flights of Cape Town with stunning views of the city and the Cape!
Since 2010, Woodstock has been the epicenter for street art, and these days you can hire a guide to take you around to see more than 40 pieces of artwork from local and international artists.
Take a trip a few hours out of the city and get your chance to see the Big 5 on a real African game drive! Here you can go on safari game drives as well as quadbike safaris and horseback safaris.
Located an hour outside of Cape Town, the Atlantis Sand Dunes are the city’s best-kept secret. Cape Town’s only real white sand dune is a great place to go quad-biking together!
Meet like-minded female travelers and experience the brightest South African highlights on a luxurious and action-packed tour. TBA Escapes South Africa Tour is for all women with all levels of travel experience.

Cultural Experiences

Formerly known as the Malay Quarter, Bo Kaap is situated at the foot of Signal Hill. The colorful houses date back to the 1760s when rental houses were leased to slaves.
Another great experience is a traditional Cape Malay meal at one of the many restaurants. These usually consist of fruit, spices, veggies, and meat.
There are actually several hills in and around Cape Town other than the giant Table Mountain. There are a couple of paths to get to the summit, including one with chains and staples, and an easier route to avoid that.

Day Trips and Excursions

While South Africa may bring to mind Big Five safaris, there’s so much more to experience beyond the wilderness (though that adventure comes later!). Located just over an hour’s drive from Cape Town, the Cape Winelands is the countryside escape you never knew you needed. Explore endless vineyards, scenic farms, and indulge in some of the country’s most celebrated gastronomic restaurants.

Cape Winelands

Can’t make it all the way to Stellenbosch, Franschhoek, or Paarl for the weekend? For the oldest wine estate in the country, definitely head to Groot Constantia. Enjoy a tasting of their delightful wines or perhaps have a wine and chocolate pairing. And if you love bubbly, definitely head to Steenberg.

So, to see even more wineries, definitely take a tour. On our first visit to Cape Town, we did a day trip to Stellenbosch and Franschhoek with a private driver. I suggest 3-4 wineries in a day at the most and perhaps stop somewhere for lunch.

This charming collection of small towns and villages feels like stepping back to simpler times - where you wake to birdsong in the trees and catch each sunset with a glass of bubbles in hand.

Safari

The Sabi Sand Nature Reserve, formerly known as the Sabi Sand Game Reserve, is South Africa’s most prestigious and romantic Big Five reserve. With a 30-mile fenceless boundary shared with Kruger National Park, the reserve provides an exceptional safari experience where animals roam freely between the two reserves. The below properties all have private concessions within the Kruger National Park. This means that off-roading is allowed, with limited vehicles in sightings for a more exclusive safari experience.

Kruger National Park

The Greater Kruger refers to private reserves that share a fenceless border with the renowned Kruger National Park. Therefore animals are able to move freely between these areas.

From Cape Town or Johannesburg, it’s just a short flight to Maun, Botswana’s gateway to the Okavango Delta - one of Africa’s most sought-after safari destinations. Upon arrival, you’ll see why! The Okavango Delta is a safari paradise, particularly for sightings of exhilarating species like the endangered African Wild Dog.

Nestled along the southern banks of the Linyanti River, the Linyanti Wildlife Reserve is an ideal safari destination for honeymooners seeking solitude and adventure. Traverse untouched grasslands, forests, and lagoons, encountering abundant game and thousands of migratory birds during the green season. Linyanti feels raw and timeless, offering a serene, off-the-grid retreat perfect for couples craving a romantic connection with nature.

Marine Encounters

Seals are seriously the cutest sea creatures.
You’ve probably seen photos of people watching penguins running around the beach in South Africa. You’ve probably seen photos of people watching penguins running around the beach in South Africa.
The Marine Big 5 includes sharks, dolphins, whales, penguins, and seals. It is such an incredible adventure to see sealife pretty close to the boat! PS- If you get prone to seasickness, definitely take something for it!
If you’ve always been a fan of Shark Week, then you’ll love the chance to get up close and personal with sharks in Gansbaai.

Victoria Falls

Victoria Falls, straddling the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe, is the world’s largest waterfall, making it a truly spectacular sight! Beyond the falls, Victoria Falls National Park provides abundant wildlife for an authentic safari experience. Take a sundowner cruise along the Zambezi River, spotting water animals at the river’s edge. Dubbed Africa’s ‘Adrenaline Capital,’ this area also boasts helicopter flights, gorge swings, and bungee jumping for thrill-seekers.

Namibia Desert

Possibly the most romantic destination in Southern Africa, Sossusvlei lies in Namibia’s Namib Desert - the oldest desert in the world. Vast, open, and seemingly endless, the rolling dunes create a surreal, otherworldly setting. Explore the dramatic terrain at dawn or dusk, with thrilling helicopter flights over the Skeleton Coast or quad biking across the dunes. During the heat of the day, unwind at the lodge with spa and wellness treatments.

Table of Activities for Couples

Activity	Description
Table Mountain Hike	Hike up via Platteklip Gorge. Expect about 2,293 feet (almost 700 m) in elevation gain. Bring at least 2 liters of water per person.
Lion's Head Hike	There are a couple of paths to get to the summit, including one with chains and staples, and an easier route to avoid that.
Two Oceans Aquarium	Visit the seal platform at the Two Oceans Aquarium on the V&A Waterfront.
Galileo Open Air Cinema	Watch a movie together under the stars.
Sunset Cruise	Take a dreamy sunset cruise.
Food Tour	Take a food tour. The City Bowl tour lasts for about 4.5 hours and includes 10 tastings.
Old Biscuit Mill	Visit The Old Biscuit Mill on the weekends for an incredible shopping and dining experience.
Wine Bar	Head to Balthezar on the V&A Waterfront, the biggest wine-by-the-glass bar in the world.
Street Art Tour of Woodstock	Take a street art tour of Woodstock.
Bo-Kaap	Explore the colorful neighborhood of Bo-Kaap.
Camps Bay	Enjoy a beach day at Camps Bay.
Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens	Admire the flora and fauna at Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens.
Robben Island	Visit Robben Island.
Sea Point Promenade	Stroll Along Sea Point Promenade.
Constantia Wine Tasting	Head to Groot Constantia, the oldest wine estate in the country. Enjoy a tasting of their delightful wines or perhaps have a wine and chocolate pairing.
Atlantis Dunes Quad Biking	Go Quad Biking at Atlantis Dunes.
Boulders Beach Penguins	Visit the Penguins at Boulders Beach.
Franschhoek Wine Tram	Take the Franschhoek Wine Tram.
Cape of Good Hope	Take a day trip to the Cape of Good Hope.
Cape Winelands Tour	Take a day trip to Stellenbosch and Franschhoek with a private driver. I suggest 3-4 wineries in a day at the most and perhaps stop somewhere for lunch.

Practical Information

The locals we met told us that Uber Black is what you want to order so that you know you’re going to get a good reliable car.
The South African Rand is the currency of South Africa. It is valued at around $0.05 USD. So about 19-20 rand is equal to about $1 USD.

Languages

Many people do speak English, so you’ll likely be fine with speaking English. However, some local languages in South Africa other than English include Afrikaans, Zulu, Swati, Northern and Southern Sotho, Tswana, Xhosa, Tsonga, Ndebele, Venda, Pedi, and more.

Load Shedding

You need to know about load shedding. Load shedding is the name for the rolling blackouts all across the country. These last for a couple of hours at a time and multiple times per day sometimes. It has gotten worse over the years, and for updates, you’ll want to download the EskomSePush App. Also, hotels will have schedules too.

Tipping

If you rent a car, keep some coins on hand. You’ll need to tip gas station attendants and people who watch your car when you park it.

Safety

If you rent a car, do NOT keep anything in the car.

When to Visit

Cape Town is a year-round destination, but it does tend to have rainy and chilly winters. Conversely, Summertime is always a popular time to visit, especially as the days are typically sunny and warm. We’ve been to Cape Town in both May and September, and I’ll say that September felt like the perfect time to visit.