A short flight or ferry from Tahiti reaches Moorea, greener and quieter than Bora Bora, with a garden or overwater stay built around Mount Rotui’s jagged silhouette. The InterContinental’s dolphin and sea turtle centres are local fixtures, and a half-day boat trip out to a snorkelling motu, the standard way to spend an afternoon here, takes in rays and reef sharks in the shallows.

Overwater bungalows were pioneered here in 1971 by the original Hotel Bora Bora, and the island has built its reputation on them since, with views to Mount Otemanu from nearly every property on the lagoon. A lagoon tour by outrigger canoe stops at a private motu for a beachside lunch, and an evening sail to a sandbank for sunset and a barbecue is close to a rite of passage for couples staying here.