As Robin Monroe, the editor of a renowned fashion magazine based in New York, sets off on a week-long vacation to the stunning island of Makatea in the South Pacific with her caring boyfriend Frank, they are joined by their middle-aged pilot, Quinn Harris, alongside his girlfriend Angelica. Their serene escape quickly takes an unexpected turn when Frank decides to propose to Robin on their very first night on the island, leading to confusion after Quinn makes some tipsy advances towards her.
The tranquility of their getaway is abruptly interrupted when Robin receives a call from her boss, Marjorie, insisting she fly to Tahiti for a fashion shoot. With Frank left behind, Robin hires Quinn to navigate her there. However, a fierce thunderstorm forces them to make an emergency landing on an uninhabited island, where the plane sadly strikes a large rock, leaving it incapacitated. The next day, Frank and Angelica join a search effort to find their missing friends.
Under the assumption that the island contains a signal beacon, Robin and Quinn set off on a mission to disable it and call for assistance, only to realize they are on a completely different island. As they find themselves in a perilous situation, Quinn witnesses a horrifying act from a nearby ship—a man being murdered and dumped overboard by merciless pirates. Forced to flee, they dive off a cliff into the ocean and hide in the foliage, discovering an abandoned World War II Japanese floatplane amidst their escape.
As their dangerous circumstances progress, Robin and Quinn develop a deepening bond. Back on Makatea, Frank struggles with despair, believing he has lost Robin for good, leading him to seek comfort in Angelica’s arms after she cleverly seduces him. With the search efforts dwindling, a memorial service is arranged to pay tribute to the presumed lost duo.
Determined to escape, Robin and Quinn labored to fix their floatplane's pontoons, eventually readying it for flight. Just as they prepare for takeoff, the pirates return, attacking them with gunfire, resulting in Quinn’s injury. Nevertheless, they manage to take off just as the pirates accidentally destroy their own ship in a chaotic turn of events. As Quinn fights to remain conscious because of his wounds, he instructs Robin on how to land the plane safely before succumbing to his injuries.
Upon reaching Makatea, Robin crash-lands just a few yards from the memorial service, where Frank is ecstatic to see his friend again. Yet, beneath Frank's excitement lies a bitter guilt over his actions with Angelica. Meanwhile, Robin visits Quinn in the hospital to reveal her feelings, only to be softly rebuffed as he cites their differing lives.
As Robin prepares to leave Makatea with Frank, tension mounts when he unveils his infidelity. Recognizing the truth in their relationship, Robin returns Frank's engagement ring, realizing she and he were never genuinely in love. With news of Robin’s decision, Quinn reassesses his feelings.
In a poignant moment, Quinn arrives at the airport just moments too late to stop Robin from departing for New York. However, chance plays its hand when Robin suddenly exits the plane to find him waiting for her. With emotions unburdened, Quinn confesses his feelings, leading to a joyful reunion filled with hope and connection.
