4 Best Sights in Durban, Durban and KwaZulu-Natal

This magnificent lotus-shaped temple, opened in 1985, is at the heart of activities run by the city's International Society for Krishna Consciousness. Gold-tinted windows add a glow to the interior, floored with imported Italian marble and intricate artwork. Colorful laser drawings depicting the life of the Hindu god Krishna cover the ceiling, and statues of Krishna and his consort Radha are elaborately dressed in traditional Indian attire. Love fests and traditional singing and dancing take place on Sunday (1:30–5) and all are welcome. You need to remove your shoes when entering the temple.

Built in 1927 in a style that combines Islamic and colonial features, this is the second-largest mosque in the Southern Hemisphere (the biggest sits in Johannesburg). Its colonnaded verandahs, gold-domed minaret, and turrets give the surrounding (not-so-gleaming) streets much of their character. Tours (the only way to visit) are free and can be arranged through the Islamic Propagation Center, in a room at the entrance of the mosque, or through the Durban Tourism offices. 

If you plan to go inside, dress modestly: women should bring scarves to cover their heads and shoulders and skirts should extend to the ankles; men should not wear shorts. It's a good idea to keep a kikoi (a lightweight African sarong readily available in local markets) in your bag to use as a skirt or scarf. Men can use them, too, to cover bare legs. You'll have to take off your shoes as you enter, so wear socks if you don't want to go barefoot. No tours are offered during Islamic holidays, including Ramadan, which varies but lasts a whole month in the latter part of the year.

One of the most easily accessible and opulent temples in the city, the Kendra, next to the Durban Botanic Gardens, opened in 2001 after two years of intricate work by sculptors in India. The structure is unmistakably Eastern, with golden domes that tower above a palm tree supported by ornately decorated columns and arches that give the temple an East-meets-West look. Inside are two halls: a small one on the ground level and a larger one upstairs, which is a popular venue for weddings and leads to the temple. Huge statues of Hindu gods, notably Ganesha, Krishna, and Rama, are garlanded and clothed in exquisite Indian fabric. You can join an early morning or evening prayer daily at 6:30 am and 6:30 pm.

One of Durban's most spectacular Hindu shrines is in Cato Manor. The temple's facade is adorned with brightly painted representations of the Hindu gods, notably Ganesha, Shiva, and Vishnu. The magnificent doors leading to the cellar were salvaged from a temple built in 1875 on the banks of the Umbilo River and subsequently destroyed by floods. The culmination of a long fast results in the carrying of "kavadi," a sacrifice in honor of Lord Murugan, held annually in March, where unshod fire walkers cross beds of burning, glowing coals. There are no set visiting hours. The kavadi-carrying devotees, often adorned in pins and needles walking in a deeply meditative state known as "trance," draw huge crowds of spectators and well-wishers. If the temple is open you'll be welcome to go inside; if not, the exterior of the building is still worth seeing.