ADVENTURES IN PARADISE\Exploring French Polynesia's fascinating water world, Club-Med\style.

Byline: Bob Strauss Daily News Staff Writer

A first encounter with French Polynesia presents a classic case of traveler's conflict.

You want to see it all - or at least all the Society Islands, the central archipelago of the vast South Pacific colony. Yet you want to closely inspect all that at least one of the islands has to offer.

You want to relax and enjoy the tropical climate and all the water sports that are part of such a vacation. Yet there is so much extraordinary culture and geography to explore, as well.

You want, therefore, as much independence as you can get, to choose whatever options strike your fancy on any given day. Yet the terribly high cost of just about everything in Tahiti and its sister isles steers many visitors toward all-inclusive resorts, where most food and certain recreations are included in one price, but where schedules and possibilities can be frustratingly limited.

Now that Club Med has a cruise ship plying Tahitian waters, at least those who can afford the antidote to civilization have a more civilized option. While certainly not the height of seagoing luxury, the Club Med 2 offers a markedly higher standard of comfort, service and, oddly enough, flexibility, than the chain's landbound resorts do.

You also get incomparable sightseeing - starting at about $400 more, depending on deck preference - than a stay at either of the Club Med resorts on the islands of Moorea or Bora Bora.

The Bora Bora Club Med resort reminded my wife and I of nothing so much as a gulag with palm trees. Nestled in the crux of one of the crab-shaped island's beautiful inlets, Club Med Bora Bora has an airy, gardenlike atmosphere that we found quite tranquil upon arrival. Of course, we'd just come off a cramped, malodorous midnight flight from LAX on the French airline AOM (we weren't the only Americans in Tahiti convinced that the acronym stood for Airline Of Misery), so just about anything would've seemed inviting.

The idea was to rest and recover from jet lag for a few days before picking up the cruise. But there were two things wrong with that sensible-sounding plan.

First, there was little that was relaxing about the un-air conditioned, mosquito-infested, strictly scheduled resort. The food was OK as far as mass-meal operations go, but the fact that lunch and dinner lasted barely more than an hour, and you could hardly get anything to eat in between, was certainly oppressive. Meanwhile, the staff - mostly young, pleasant but not very resourceful Europeans - seemed more interested in their own recreational activities and rehearsing their dreadful evening entertainments than actually fulfilling guests' requests.

All of which, understandably enough, led to the second reason why we were foolish to think we could rest up on Bora Bora: We wanted to get away from Club Med whenever possible. And even though the small, rustic island is nowhere near as developed as, say, a Hawaiian tourist spot, we quickly discovered that it held a vast array of attractive distractions.

In three days, we explored several tiny, mostly uninhabited keys that ring many of the Society chain's islands, traveling by pirogue, the outboard-powered outriggers that are omnipresent in French Polynesia. Just checking out several more-expensive hotels on Bora, with their over-the-water bungalows, high-tech yacht harbors and adjacent undersea parks, was a luxurious treat.

And then there were the organized excursions which, at under $50 for most three- to four-hour trips, were cheaper than comparable Hawaiian and Caribbean activities - and, by far, the best bargains in the islands. Escorted by extremely genial, English-speaking Polynesians, the outings we took advertised themselves simply as a shark-feeding expedition and circle island safari. They both turned into exotic adventures as packed full of excitement as an Indiana Jones movie.

The shark-feeding tour starts with a pirogue ride to a part of the lagoon between the outer shores of the motu - in Polynesia, a reef-island covered with vegetation - and the giant barrier reef. A green line is tied from the boat's stern to a small reef. With masks and snorkels, the guests get in the water to one side of the rope while raw meat is tossed to its other side. Soon, hundreds of fish and a dozen black-tip sharks appear; amazingly, none of them ever cross over to the people-side of the line, although they will swim right up to it.

A half-hour of this close encounter was thrilling enough, but the fun had just begun. We motored to another spot where sting rays congregated. We all got into the water and tried to pet the slippery, remarkable creatures. Then it was off to just inside the barrier reef for some fantastic snorkeling and, as a breathtaking climax, a walk on top of the amazing, gigantic organism, where only a few micrometers of water cover millions of colorful coral, clams, sea urchins and other hard-shelled marine life.

On another day, we got in the back of a small, open truck for what we thought would be a quick trip around the island. Three hours later, when our delightfully mad guides turned off the main road to go up the trip's fifth steep, muddy jungle road, we were all crying, "No, that's fine, really. No more!"

We had already experienced sights ranging from a sand-crab feeding frenzy to a literal ride through the clouds, and more bumps, slides and dips than Magic Mountain has to offer. We'd even stopped for fresh coconut at the driver's beautiful, cliffside home, a tropical plantation that was sheer Bali-Hai fantasy come true.

But our escorts were right. The last mountaintop destination was the most spectacular of all: a World War II American gun emplacement that commanded a sweeping view of just about everything worth seeing on Bora Bora: channels, motus, cruise ships, towns, bays and resorts. It was gorgeous enough to make everyone forget their by-then aching rumps.

By the time the Club Med 2 dropped anchor, we were ready for a good rest. And since the ship, like the sister vessel we'd taken through the Caribbean three years ago, was climate-controlled, freer with feeding times and much more attentively staffed, that was easy.

At nighttime, anyway.

The ship did offer better evening entertainment than the de rigeur amateur shows. It had a small casino, a piano bar, a video golf range and even closed-circuit TV movies, most of which were Hollywood action hits dubbed hilariously into French. On a few nights, real Tahitian dancers came on board to provide modest, but at least authentic, entertainment. Still, the nicest part about night at sea was bunking down early and not having to swat mosquitoes until dawn.

That was when the ship usually arrived at a new island, and it was always a pleasure waking to wondrous new displays of shoreline, rugged mountains and lush greenery. But halfway through breakfast, the daily angst kicked in: what to do?

The ship's stern turned into an aquatic sports center every day, offering kayaking, windsurfing, scuba and snorkeling. Efficient water taxis provided regular service to main-island wharves and to tiny, idyllic, sun-drenched motus. Of course, a number of organized excursions could be hired from the ship. And sometimes the option of just sunning on deck seemed mighty attractive, if naggingly wasteful.

With less than a day to spend at most ports of call, anguished choices had to be made. Perhaps the worst quandary was on Tahiti, where the ship docked right in front of downtown Papeete.

A charming, bustling little city, despite its reputation as a typically decadent French colonial town, Papeete is the only place in a 1,000-mile radius where there's actually enough commerce for real competition to exist, and thus the only port in which to shop for souvenirs or find decent deals on that French Polynesian specialty, black pearls. The blocklong, enclosed Municipal Market is an attraction all by itself, full of colorful fresh produce and all manner of local craftwork.

But you either spend the day in Papeete or explore the largest Society Island. Not being able to do both convinced us to stay an extra day or two next time, pre- or post-cruise, to see what we missed.

Luckily, the Club Med 2 stays for a day and a half in Cook's Bay at nearby Moorea, allowing enough time for both water recreation and scouting out this small, tourism-oriented island. Within walking distance of the water taxi dock is a tiny but rewarding aquarium-cum-pearl farm, and there are shuttles to the dreadful local Club Med if you just have to go. The cheapest ways of riding around the island are on the notoriously unscheduled le truck bus system or on rented bikes.

All but the hardiest, however, will require motorized assistance to get up to the Belvedere Lookout, the must-visit summit that commands a sweeping view of both Cook's and Opunohu Bays. There are group tours that go up there, of course, but be warned that both car rentals (standard-shift only) and private taxi tours are very expensive - although the latter often include a guided tour of the rest of the island, an educational stop at a living, traditional Polynesian museum called the Tiki Theatre Village and leisurely visits to some of the better hotel properties, like the original Bali Hai and Sofitel la Ora.

Some of the best memories of the cruise, however, did not occur on land or in the water. They came on deck, usually during the refreshing, late afternoon teatime, as the ship unfurled its massive sails and plied the gorgeous coasts of wild islands.

I don't think I've ever seen anything more beautiful than the inlet-studded isle of Tahaa, with the granite cliffs of Bora fading into the horizon behind it. And there's nothing like circling Marlon Brando's atoll, Tetiaroa, at the end of the day to drive it home that you're indeed someplace really special.

On Location

Tahiti is one of 115 islands that comprise French Polynesia, which is spread out over 1.5 million square miles of the South Pacific. They include the Society Islands, including Tahiti, Bora Bora, Moorea, Raiatea and Huahine; the Tuamotu Archipelago; the Austral Islands; the Marquesas Islands; and the Gambier Islands.

A first-time Tahiti traveler should remember that the word chauvinism is named after a Frenchman for a reason. French tourists do seem to get preferential treatment over all other nationalities - except from the indigenous Polynesians, who were just building up their anti-colonial resentments when we were there a month before France's controversial nuclear testing commenced.

These days, it would be wise to make it clear to any Polynesians you meet that you're American. They'll treat you better.

Bring as many of your own necessities - toiletries, medicines, insecticide, film, etc. - as you can, since outside of Papeete they are in limited supply and ridiculously expensive.

Whatever you must buy in French Polynesia, try to do it at Magasin stores. These downscale local groceries actually sell soft drinks and Tahiti's good, yeasty Hinano beer for under $2 a can, about a third of what they cost anywhere else.

A week's stay at the Bora Bora resort costs $1,345; or $2,285 with air fare from Los Angeles.

Three-, four- and seven-night voyages on the 617-foot Club Med 2 depart Papeete, Tahiti. The three- and four-day trips include stops in Moorea, Huahine and Bora Bora; seven-night passengers continue on to Rangiroa in the remote Tuamotu Islands. Rates for the three-night cruise range from $885; four-night cruise, $1,180; and seven-night, $2,065.

For information, call [phone].

For information on travel in Tahiti, contact: Tahiti Tourisme, 300 Continental, Suite 180, El Segundo, Calif. 90245; [phone].

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Photo (1-2) The Club Med 2 anchors in Cook's Bay off Moorea, above. At left, U.S. guns installed and manned by American soldiers during World War II still overlook the sea on Bora Bora. Bob Strauss/Daily News (3--Color) A romantic Tahitian sunset explodes in shades of pink through the palms, silhouetting beach shacks and boats. (4--Color) A crew sails the turquoise waters in an outrigger. (5--Color) Visitors to Bora Bora feed hungry reef sharks. (6--Color) Tahitians frequently wear flower head pieces. (7--Color) An aerial view of Bora Bora. (8--Color) White sands of Bora Bora gleam in the sunshine. Box On Location (See text)