The Roavi Blog
Stories from people who live there.
Travel tips, city guides, and local insights from the Roavi team.
1173 articles
Travel Tips · Cancún
Is Tulum Safer Than Cancún? Cancún vs Playa del Carmen vs Tulum, Honestly (2026)
Same state, same advisory level, three different risk profiles. Cancún's Hotel Zone is the most policed; Tulum's incidents cluster around late-night venues; Playa sits between. Which is actually safest for the trip you want.
Oscar Garcia··4 min read
Travel Tips · Medellín
Is Medellín Safer Than Cartagena? The Honest Comparison (2026)
Cartagena's walled city is the most policed square kilometre in Colombia; Medellín's El Poblado and Laureles are safe and lived-in. The risks differ: drink spiking and street hustle in Cartagena, phones and the wrong block at night in Medellín. Which is safer for your trip.
Oscar Garcia··4 min read
Travel Tips · Medellín
Medellín vs Cartagena Nightlife: Which City Has the Better Night Out? (2026)
Medellín goes out in neighbourhoods, late, to crossover music, with Colombians. Cartagena goes out inside the walls and in Getsemaní, earlier, to champeta and salsa, with a lot of visitors. Which is the better night, and for whom.
Oscar Garcia··4 min read
Travel Tips · Mexico City
When Is Day of the Dead 2026? The Dates, What Happens Each Day, and the Parade Date
Day of the Dead 2026 is Sunday November 1 and Monday November 2. What each day is for, why October 31 matters, when Mexico City's parade is, the 2027 dates, and the main US celebrations.
Oscar Garcia··5 min read
Travel Tips · Mexico City
Day of the Dead Parade in Mexico City 2026: Date (Oct 31), Start Time, Route, Where to Stand
Mexico City's Gran Desfile de Día de Muertos 2026 is Saturday October 31 at 2pm, from the Diana Cazadora down Paseo de la Reforma to the Zócalo. The route, where to stand, how to get there, and the rest of the city's official programme: the Catrinas procession, the Zócalo ofrenda, Chapultepec, Mixquic.
Oscar Garcia··5 min read
Travel Trends · Tokyo
How Much Does It Cost to Rent a Girlfriend or Boyfriend in Japan? (2026 Prices, Rules and What You Actually Get)
Japan's rental girlfriend and boyfriend agencies charge by the hour, with a minimum booking and the date's expenses on top. The published rates, the rules that make it legal, whether foreigners can book, and what Roavi is instead.
Oscar Garcia··5 min read
Travel Tips · Osaka
Rent a Local Friend in Osaka (2026): How It Works, What It Costs, What It Isn't
Osaka is the friendliest big city in Japan and still hides its best parts: the standing bar, the kushikatsu counter, the shotengai nobody photographs. How renting a local friend works in Osaka, how it differs from Japan's rental-friend agencies, and the honest state of Roavi there today.
Oscar Garcia··5 min read
Travel Guides · Santiago
Is Santiago, Dominican Republic Worth Visiting? Yes for the Most Dominican City in the Country; No for a Beach
A straight answer: Santiago de los Caballeros is worth visiting if you want the Dominican Republic with no tourists in it: the second city, the Cibao valley, cigars, merengue típico, the Monumento and a Carnival in February that is the country's best. It is inland with no beach, two hours from the north coast. Who it suits, how long, safety and when.
Oscar Garcia··2 min read
Travel Guides · Samaná
Is Samaná Worth Visiting? Yes, for the Whales, El Limón, Los Haitises and the Quietest Beaches in the DR; When It Isn't
A straight answer: the Samaná peninsula is worth visiting, and it is the most beautiful part of the Dominican Republic: humpback whales in the bay from mid-January to March, the El Limón waterfall, Los Haitises' mangroves and caves, Las Terrenas' beaches and Playa Rincón. It is not worth it if you want an all-inclusive strip and nightlife; it is quiet, far and rainier. Who it suits, how to get there, how long and when.
Oscar Garcia··3 min read
Travel Guides · La Romana
Is La Romana Worth Visiting? Yes for Bayahibe, Saona, Catalina and Altos de Chavón; the Town Itself, Less So; La Romana or Punta Cana
A straight answer: La Romana is worth visiting for what is around it: Bayahibe and its quiet beaches, Saona and Catalina islands, Altos de Chavón, and Casa de Campo if you golf. The town itself is a working sugar city with little for visitors. La Romana or Punta Cana: La Romana for calmer, cheaper beaches and the islands close by; Punta Cana for the big resorts and the longest sand. Who it suits, how long and how to do it.
Oscar Garcia··3 min read
Travel Guides · Las Terrenas
Is Las Terrenas Worth Visiting? Yes, the Best Beach Village in the Dominican Republic; Who It Isn't For
A straight answer: Las Terrenas is worth visiting, and for people who do not want a resort it is the best beach base in the Dominican Republic: a French-Dominican village on the Samaná peninsula with beaches you walk to, restaurants, apartments instead of all-inclusives, and the whales, El Limón and Playa Rincón nearby. It is not for people who want a resort, nightlife or an easy transfer. Who it suits, how to get there, how long and when.
Oscar Garcia··2 min read
Travel Guides · Jarabacoa
Is Jarabacoa Worth Visiting? Yes, for the Mountains, the Rivers, Rafting and Pico Duarte; Who Should Skip It
A straight answer: Jarabacoa is worth visiting if you want the Dominican Republic that is not a beach: pine mountains, cool nights, rivers, rafting on the Yaque del Norte, waterfalls, horses, and the trailhead for Pico Duarte, the highest peak in the Caribbean. It is not for beach or resort trips. Who it suits, how to get there, how long and when.
Oscar Garcia··2 min read