Before my trip to Mauritius, Paradise was the name of one of my favourite songs by Coldplay, with the scenic music video filmed in South Africa.

Mauritius is a dream holiday destination - especially to honeymoon at as wedding season is in full gear. At times the exotic landscape through the naked eye looked like a filtered Instagram picture.

From the white sand beaches to the azure blue lagoons and tropical palm trees, my heart skipped a beat on more than one occasion. How cheesy, yet true.

The weather was so pleasantly soothing and balmy. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that they were in the middle of winter, but the air was fresher than the spring atmosphere I left back home.

HERE ARE SOME ACTIVITIES YOU CAN EXPLORE WHILE IN MAURITIUS

For the adrenaline junkies:

This is something I never imagined myself crossing off my bucket list but, hey, we were in Mauritius, let's do something daring and fun.

So with a group of friends we departed to the Blue Safari Submarine in Trou-aux-
Biches.

It seemed like a good idea at the time, especially since it was close to the romantic resort, Beachcomber Golf Resort & Spa, where we were staying.

So, we dived into the 10-seater fleet and went 35m deep into the Indian Ocean, all in search of an adventure. There we found Nemo and other colourful aquatic creatures.

But what I didn't anticipate was the claustrophobia and altitude sickness that comes with being that deep into the ocean for almost an hour.

It was an unforgettable and fun experience, but not something I will be doing again any time soon.

It's very cool that you get a certificate signed by the helmsman at the end of the task.

A little advice, do it sober.

Romantic adventure:

For a relaxed outing I highly recommend the full-day shared cruise across the calm blue waters of Trou d'Eau Douce.

While getting those perfect travel blogger snapshots, you can snorkel - I skipped this because I have natural hair, darling.

But there is a delicious braai lunch onboard with unlimited refreshments. The trip ends with a stop at the largest lagoon in Mauritius, Ile aux Cerfs. Before heading back, for an hour you can walk and explore the island with a number of water sports activities offered. Do yourself a favour and try the refreshing coconut cocktail.

Street Shopping:

For a chance to mix with the locals and some cheap hot buys - Mauritius style - head to the Grand Baie Bazaar. You can browse the stalls for great bargains to take back home as souvenirs. A lot of the merchandises are one-of-a-kind as they are handcrafted. You can also try street-food cuisine.

Emmanuel Tjiya was a guest of closeup.