Gay clubs in johannesburg south africa

The gay scene in Johannesburg is primarily centered around the suburb of Melville, where a variety of LGBTQ+ friendly bars, clubs, and restaurants can be found. Guide to the best Johannesburg gay bars, clubs, parties and festivals. Complete, up-to-date, ranked list of all LGBT events and venues in Johannesburg. A listing of gay bars, pubs and nightclubs located at various locations in Johannesburg (Jo-burg), South Africa.

Gay and lesbian communities happily live in all of South Africa’s major cities, including Johannesburg, but what you’ll find is that Joburg is an integrated city with little or no discrimination against gay people who frequent most restaurants, bars and clubs. For years, it has been like the gateway to Johannesburg’s POC LGBT community. On Thursday nights in particular, students from the surrounding University communities as well as professionals from all over the city congregate here for affordable drinks and the latest queer favourite pop hits.

Before my trip, everyone told me to skip visiting Johannesburg. I would have missed out on some real fun. Friends mentioned how dangerous Johannesburg is, how boring it would be, and that I would be better off staying in Cape Town the whole trip. Johannesburg has a relatively small gay scene, especially in comparison to Cape Town.

After talking with some locals, I learned that many gay guys do not go out to gay bars in Johannesburg. There are several possible reasons for why. Others just live too far away to make the trip to one of the bars worth it. I always remember the sight of a gay couple holding hands while out walking in the Rosebank mall area.

It made me happy to see some pride out and about in Johannesburg. One of the biggest factors to consider before booking a place to stay in Johannesburg is safety. Hotels in Rosebank will be safe and enjoyable for Johannesburg gay travelers. The area is full of modern buildings and some of the classiest bars and restaurants in the city.

I highly recommend staying here. I stayed a few minutes from the Rosebank Mall. I walked around the area both day and night and always felt safe. Also, all the nearby commercial complexes like the local mall and upscale dining restaurant compounds have secure entrances with guards. The trendy Illovo neighborhood is just north of Rosebank.

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Maboneng Precinct, Hillbrow, and other parts of the city center are not safe and you are best avoiding these areas. Want proof? Stick with my recommendations above for the best experience. First of all, lots of that information is around 10 years old. Just like other world cities, there are dangerous areas and safe areas. Here in Johannesburg, things are just a bit more pronounced. There are indeed dangerous parts of the city as mentioned earlier, and you should avoid these.

Tourists should avoid the city center neighborhoods of Hillbrow , Yeoville , and Berea.

In addition to traveler safety precautions you would typically follow, there are a few things to note regarding Johannesburg safety. I visited a couple of less-frequented attractions and can definitely attest to this. I mention this heritage museum first for two reasons. Unequivocally, Nelson Mandela was a hero, and seeing the museum of his old residence is quite powerful.

While it might not be obvious, the street outside of the museum is lined with awesome local restaurants. An afternoon on Vilakazi Street was honestly the most memorable experience of my Johannesburg travels. It was a terrific way to get a slice of authentic South African culture. I highly recommend visiting on a Sunday.