INTERCONTINENTAL TAHITI RESORT & SPA

Most travellers to French Polynesia arrive in the capital, Papeete, on the biggest and most populous island, Tahiti. Just a few kilometres from the airport, the InterContinental Tahiti is a great option for those travelling en familie who want all the facilities of a big resort but none of the hassle of an extra flight. The township of Papeete, with its French stores and traffic jams, is just a short taxi ride away but the view from the hotel across a vast, shimmering expanse of water is as good as any on the outer islands, especially at sunset.

While French Polynesia is famous for its honeymoonfriendly overwater bungalows, most of the 246 rooms here are on land, which better suits those with younger children. There are interconnecting rooms for families with older kids and two pools set within the lush grounds. Feast on superbly fresh raw fish marinated in coconut milk at the Tahitian poolside eatery Te Tiare. At Le Lotus, an upmarket restaurant in an overwater bungalow, listen to kids squeal as fish swarm around lights in the water.

Jump in a cab and ask the driver to take you into town to find the popular roulottes (food trucks) that line the waterfront at Place Vaiete. You’ll be able to choose from French salted galettes or the Tahitian version of Chinese chow mein. For a fun excursion, board a ferry bound for Moorea (about a 35-minute trip), where you can hire a scooter to explore the 16-kilometre-wide island and stop to feed stingrays in one of its sheltered lagoons.