The Roavi Blog
Stories from people who live there.
Travel tips, city guides, and local insights from the Roavi team.
1173 articles
Travel Tips · Mexico City
Christmas in Mexico City 2026: What Happens, What's Open on the 24th and 25th, Markets, Lights and the Weather
Christmas in Mexico City is a month, not a day: Guadalupe on the 12th, nine nights of posadas, Nochebuena dinner on the 24th, a quiet 25th, Reyes on January 6. What's open, where the markets and lights are, what to eat, and how cold it gets at night.
Oscar Garcia··5 min read
Travel Tips · Tulum
Tulum in December 2026: Weather, Seaweed, Prices by Week, Christmas and New Year's Eve
December is Tulum's best weather and its priciest fortnight. Dry days around 28°C, the sea at its clearest, seaweed usually gone, nortes now and then. Prices by week, what Christmas and New Year's Eve look like on the beach road, and how to do it without the party.
Oscar Garcia··4 min read
Travel Guides · Santo Domingo
Santo Domingo Tour Guide: Zona Colonial Walks, Private Guides by Car, What They Cost, and When a Local Friend Is the Better Answer (2026)
Three things people mean by 'Santo Domingo tour guide': a Zona Colonial walking tour, a private guide by car for Los Tres Ojos, Boca Chica or the mountains, or a Dominican who shows you their capital for an afternoon. What each costs, how to book, and which fits your trip, with the real people listed in Santo Domingo, more than in any other city on Roavi.
Oscar Garcia··4 min read
Travel Guides · Bogotá
Bogotá Tour Guide: La Candelaria Walks, Private Guides by Car, What They Cost, and When a Local Friend Is the Better Answer (2026)
Three things people mean by 'Bogotá tour guide': a La Candelaria graffiti or history walk, a private guide by car for Zipaquirá and Guatavita, or a rolo who shows you their city for an afternoon. What each costs, how to book, and which fits your trip, with the real people listed in Bogotá.
Oscar Garcia··5 min read
Travel Guides · Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires Tour Guide: Walking Tours, Private Guides, Tango, What They Cost, and When a Local Friend Is the Better Answer (2026)
Three things people mean by 'Buenos Aires tour guide': a San Telmo or Recoleta walking tour, a private guide for Tigre, Colonia or a long day across the city, or a porteño who shows you their city for an afternoon and a late dinner. What each costs, how to book, and which fits your trip, with the real people listed in Buenos Aires.
Oscar Garcia··5 min read
Travel Guides · Puerto Plata
Puerto Plata Tour Guide: Cruise Excursions vs Private Guides, What They Cost, and When a Local Friend Is the Better Answer (2026)
'Puerto Plata tour guide' usually means a cruise-ship excursion from Amber Cove or Taino Bay, a private guide with a car for the 27 waterfalls, Cabarete or the cable car, or a Dominican who shows you the real north coast for a day. What each costs, how to book from a ship, and which fits your trip, with the real people listed in Puerto Plata.
Oscar Garcia··4 min read
Travel Guides · Cali
Cali Colombia Tour Guide: Salsa Nights, Private Guides, What They Cost, and When a Local Friend Is the Better Answer (2026)
Cali has few walking tours and a lot of salsa. 'Cali tour guide' usually means a salsa-night host, a private guide with a car for Cristo Rey, the Pance river or the sugar-cane haciendas, or a caleño who shows you their city for an evening. What each costs, how to book, and which fits your trip, with the real people listed in Cali.
Oscar Garcia··4 min read
Travel Guides · Medellín
Medellín Tour Guide: How to Hire a Private Local Guide, What It Costs, and When a Local Friend Is the Better Answer (2026)
Three things people mean by 'Medellín tour guide': a group walking tour, a private guide by car for Guatapé and Comuna 13, or a paisa who shows you their city for an afternoon. What each costs, how to book, and which fits your trip, with the real people listed in Medellín.
Oscar Garcia··6 min read
Travel Guides · Mexico City
Mexico City Tour Guide: How to Hire a Private Local Guide, What It Costs, Tipping, and When a Local Friend Is the Better Answer (2026)
'Mexico City tour guide' means a group walking tour of the Centro, a private guide by car for Teotihuacán and Xochimilco, a food guide, or a chilango who shows you their city for an afternoon. What each costs, how much to tip, and which fits your trip, with the real people listed in Mexico City.
Oscar Garcia··6 min read
Travel Guides · Punta Cana
Punta Cana Tour Guide: Private Guides vs Resort Excursions, What They Cost, and When a Local Friend Is the Better Answer (2026)
'Punta Cana tour guide' usually means an excursion sold at the resort, a private guide with a car for Saona, Santo Domingo or Higüey, or a Dominican who takes you off the strip for a day. What each costs, why the pool desk is the expensive option, and which fits your trip, with the real people listed nearby.
Oscar Garcia··5 min read
Travel Tips · Santo Domingo
Is Santo Domingo Safer Than Punta Cana? Capital vs Resort, Honestly (2026)
Punta Cana is a controlled resort strip; Santo Domingo is a capital of three million. They are safe in different ways and risky in different ways. Which one is safer for your trip, from people who live in both.
Oscar Garcia··4 min read
Travel Tips · Punta Cana
Is Punta Cana Safer Than Cancún? The Safety Comparison, Honestly (2026)
Same advisory level, same kind of trip, different risks. Punta Cana's danger is the ocean; Cancún's headlines are about a state 1,500 miles away. Which is actually safer, and what to plan around in each.
Oscar Garcia··4 min read