- Two South African newlyweds were stranded at a luxury Maldives resort on their honeymoon for three weeks, as they couldn't get home because of the coronavirus pandemic.
- Olivia and Raul De Freitas had planned to be at the five-star Cinnamon Velifushi Maldives, where rates start at $750 a night, for only six days.
- When all the other guests left, the couple became the only people at the hotel, with a whole fleet of staff members doting on them.
- "Being the only guests at the resort was lonely and fun at the same time," Raul and Olivia told Insider.
- Ultimately, they made it home by splitting the $104,000 cost of a chartered private jet with other stranded South Africans.
- Cinnamon Velifushi Maldives did not respond to Insider's request for comment.
- Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.
When newlyweds Olivia and Raul De Freitas arrived in the Maldives on March 22, they were meant to be there for a luxurious six-day honeymoon.
However, the South African couple ended up stranded at their five-star resort — the only guests there — for 21 days because of the coronavirus pandemic, in a strange state of stress and uncertainty despite their stunning surroundings and unique situation.
Raul, 28, a butcher, and Olivia, 27, a teacher, told Insider that the Maldives had "always been a dream destination."
"We wanted an island holiday, and Olivia loves snorkeling, so we saved up for it and planned towards the perfect destination," Raul said.
They knew that flying out was risky and had their concerns, "but we had the OK from the travel agent, and the Maldives was a low-risk area," they said.
After the couple arrived that Sunday at the five-star Cinnamon Velifushi Maldives, where rates start at $750 a night, they had a few wonderful days of newlywed bliss.
But that Wednesday, Raul and Olivia found out that South Africa was closing its airports at midnight on Thursday.
Given the flight time back to Johannesburg, the couple knew there was no way they'd make it.
"When we found out that South Africa closed its borders, we were worried, angry, and anxious about not knowing how we were going to get back," they said.
Olivia and Raul spent the next few days doing everything they could to find a way home — as The New York Times first reported, they considered taking a 90-minute speedboat journey to the main island of the Maldives and attempting to get a flight. But the country had imposed its own lockdown, and the couple figured that if they were going to be stuck for some time, it was better to be at the resort.
Meanwhile, all the other hotel guests were escaping to their respective countries.
By the following Sunday, the De Freitases were the only guests at the Cinnamon Velifushi, which usually caters to 180 people.
The hotel is the idyllic Maldives resort that many dream about: wooden villas on stilts over crystal-clear turquoise waters, white sandy beaches, and hammocks hung from palm trees.
What's more, Maldivian government regulations insist that all hotel staff members stay until the final guests leave, The Times reported, so the De Freitases were treated like royalty — their drinks were topped up after every sip, the hotel's performers put on private shows, and the diving instructor offered to take them snorkeling multiple times a day.
"Being the only guests at the resort was lonely and fun at the same time," the couple said. "We really loved spending time with the staff and getting to know them on a personal level."
However, the newlyweds weren't really able to relax and enjoy their extended honeymoon. Not only were they still trying to find a way home and liaising with the South African Consulate in the Maldives and the closest South African Embassy, in Sri Lanka, but they were beginning to panic about their mounting costs.
"We were very worried about the costs, as we only planned to be there for six days," Raul said.
Though the hotel offered them a discounted rate, the original trip was an extravagance for the couple. And their honeymoon was growing increasingly expensive.
Getting back wasn't going to be cheap either.
After 21 days in the Maldives, Olivia and Raul safely made it home — well, to a government quarantine facility in South Africa.
"We came back with a private charter that was self-funded by the 40-plus South African and Mauritian tourists that were stranded in the Maldives," they said.
That private charter cost $104,000, which was divided among the passengers.
While the idea of being stranded at an island resort might sound idyllic to many, the reality was bittersweet for Olivia and Raul.
"When we look back, we realize we had the most incredible experience, although it was an expensive one," they said.
But Raul and Olivia said they're now able to appreciate how lucky they've been — and it's certainly a trip they'll never forget.
"We were healthy and safe and stuck in the most beautiful place on Earth," they said.
Cinnamon Velifushi Maldives did not respond to Insider's request for comment.
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