A couple who made headlines during the pandemic after being stuck on their third date in Costa Rica for two and a half months after travel restrictions were imposed, are lifting the lid on their unconventional romance in a new Netflix documentary.
New Yorkers Matt Robertson and Khani Le, now aged 34 and 32 respectively, met on Hinge in February 2020 and, after a first date at an Indian restaurant and a second at an ax throwing venue, they decided to err on the side of the wind and leave for a short break.
However, a long weekend in paradise turned into a hellish scenario as the duo found their flights constantly canceled and their freedom restricted by lockdowns.
Thanks to Matt’s love of vlogging, their intense Costa Rican romance was fully captured for posterity, with the candid footage played in a documentary titled Longest Third Date. A pregnancy scare, car accident and insect infestation are revealed to be some of the more difficult parts of their journey.
New Yorkers Matt Robertson and Khani Le met on Hinge in February 2020. A month later, on their third date, they decided to go to Costa Rica
Thanks to Matt’s love of vlogging, their entire intense Costa Rican romance was captured for posterity, with the candid footage seen in Netflix’s Longest Third Date
The couple explain that by the fourth day of their holiday things ‘started to get real’ as Covid-19 took over the world and a travel ban came into play
At one point, their rental car got stuck in a lagoon and the locals had to help them pull it out
After a first date at an Indian restaurant and a second at an ax throwing venue, they decided to take the wind in their sails and take a short break.
The pair explain that by the fourth day of their vacation, things “started to get real” as Covid-19 took over the world and a travel ban came into play.
They soon learned that they would not be able to get home on their original flight.
“We’re running out of clothes to wear, we’re running out of new things to talk about,” Matt recalled in the film.
While they didn’t find any chemistry at first, Matt said it “definitely got more intense” over time and “there’s some passion there.”
Khani, who was adamant about not getting back into a relationship, also agreed that sparks started to fly, noting that “when you’re stuck together there’s not much to do but drink and fuck.”
After their hotel closed, the couple moved into a standalone Airbnb, saying it was a surreal experience to suddenly live together.
Luckily, Khani, a publicist, had a job to keep her busy, but she said she didn’t tell her company where she was.
Meanwhile, Matt came up with “mini dates” for their free time, with some of their activities including tango dancing and yoga classes.
Commenting on what it was like to be denied access to friends and family, Khani said, “Being so far away made me feel a little helpless knowing I couldn’t fly home if I had to.”
“We’re running out of clothes to wear, we’re running out of new things to talk about,” Matt recalled in the film
While they didn’t find any chemistry at first, Matt said it “definitely got more intense” over time and “there’s some passion there”
Meanwhile, Matt came up with “mini dates” for their free time, with some of their activities including tango dancing and yoga classes
Matt said on this subject, “We just felt really far away from everything when we saw this movie happen, alone with each other.”
With their relationship gaining momentum, both parties said it was difficult at times.
In one clip, Matt can be seen running fast to escape the apartment. He says while jogging with his GoPro, “It can get a little tiring, that’s definitely not ready for marriage.” It’s not even a normal relationship…locked up, quarantined, abroad.”
Khani also reveals that she was afraid she was “falling back into old patterns” by living with a man and she was determined not to “lose myself as a person.”
“It’s just not something I wanted at all,” she said of destructive relationships she’d experienced in the past.
When you’re stuck together, there’s not much to do but drink and fuck
While they sometimes found it difficult to get along as they learned their habits and behaviors, there were other things that added to the tension.
At one point, Khani ran out of birth control and had to get birth control from a local pharmacy, which she had been warned might be offering counterfeit drugs.
Continuing with the medical theme, she found her body covered in insect bites after an infestation in their apartment, with swollen and painful skin.
To top it off, when the couple decided to go on a road trip after restrictions were eased, their rental car got stuck in a lagoon.
Footage shows the vehicle slowly sinking into the mud with a panicked Khani scrambling out the window to escape.
Fortunately, another car passed by and people from a neighboring village came out to help and take the mud-stained vehicle to a local garage.
Though they had a hard time being cooped up together, the New Yorkers said they had more highs than lows.
Though they had a hard time being cooped up together, the New Yorkers said they had more highs than lows
She sums up their third date of several weeks and concludes, “It was really bittersweet, it was more than a vacation”
Khani moved into Matt’s Hoboken, New Jersey apartment a month after they returned home
Matt said of their situation, “It’s been a great opportunity to get to know Khani and discover just how amazing she is… Sincere, caring, thoughtful, I mean the total package.”
Khani echoed his feelings, musing, “Being with Matt, he was someone who would take charge of the plans — I really started to notice that quality in him.”
During their trip, the couple did not discuss whether they were boyfriend and girlfriend and when they found out they could finally go home on a government-sponsored flight after 79 days, Khani said she wasn’t sure if they would break up. when they came back to reality.
Another stressor for Khani was the possibility of being pregnant, but when the couple reached the Costa Rican capital of San Jose to her relief, her period started.
While both parties weren’t sure where they stood in terms of romance, it is revealed in the documentary that they moved in together a month after they got back.
It was really bittersweet, it was more than a vacation. It was something I would never forget
They also traveled across the country to meet each other’s families.
While Matt’s family knew where he was and who he was with all along, Khani had kept her antics a secret from her overly protective father.
But when she finally came to tell her father everything, she said she didn’t know why she hadn’t told him sooner, since his reaction was less extreme than she thought.
This is yet another moment captured in the documentary.
Towards the end of the movie, Matt is welcomed by Khani’s family and vice versa.
Another heartwarming moment is the introduction of their French bulldog Banks, which they got in June 2021 to celebrate their one year anniversary.
The couple’s story first came to light after Matt revealed their plight in an Instagram post and called their quarantine abroad “crazy times” in a hashtag.
Their story quickly went viral and dozens of news outlets solicited interviews.
While Khani struggled with the media attention at first, it’s something she’s gotten used to and now Matt’s constant vlogging doesn’t bother her.
Summarizing their third date of several weeks, she concludes, “It was really bittersweet, it was more than a vacation.”
‘It was something I would never forget… I wasn’t ready to go home and pretend none of this just happened.”
Longest Third Date is now available to watch via Netflix