Moorea, Tahiti - and Club Med

In July of 1993, I spent a week at Club Med on the island of Moorea in Tahiti—a trip that blended the jaw-dropping beauty of French Polynesia with the signature wild energy of a Club Med stay. Moorea itself is stunning, with jagged volcanic peaks rising out of turquoise lagoons, but our days were as much about the Club Med buzz as the postcard scenery.

The mornings often began with water sports—windsurfing, sailing, or just snorkeling in the crystal-clear shallows. The lagoon was like an aquarium, filled with colorful fish gliding among coral heads, and it felt almost surreal to just step off the beach into that kind of underwater world. But being Club Med, the fun never stopped at just nature. By afternoon, the staff had us roped into games, contests, or impromptu antics that kept the energy high and the laughter constant.

Evenings were their own brand of organized chaos. Dinners turned into long, boisterous events where strangers quickly became friends, and before long the bar area would morph into a dance floor or a stage for skits and themed parties. One night there were costumes, another night a talent show, and it seemed like no one ever wanted the fun to end. Sleep was always optional at Club Med, and on Moorea it felt like we were all determined to stretch every day as far as it could go.

What made it memorable was the contrast: the raw, almost sacred beauty of Moorea by day, and the laughter-filled craziness of Club Med life by night. At times it felt like living in two worlds at once—the timeless calm of the island itself, and the temporary, slightly chaotic family that sprung up among the guests and staff.

Looking back, that week on Moorea was unforgettable not just because of where I was, but because of how the Club Med experience amplified it—equal parts paradise and playful madness, all wrapped into one.