The Roavi Blog
Stories from people who live there.
Travel tips, city guides, and local insights from the Roavi team.
974 articles
Events · Tokyo
Japan Autumn Leaves 2026: When They Peak, Where to Go, and How to Beat the Crowds
Japan's autumn colour moves south and downhill for two months: Hokkaido's mountains in late September, Kyoto and Tokyo in late November. When it usually peaks in each place, where to go, and how to see it without the crowds.
Oscar Garcia··4 min read
Travel Guides · Santo Domingo
Christmas in the Dominican Republic: Traditions, Food and Where to Spend It (2026)
Dominican Christmas starts when the decorations go up in October and doesn't end until Three Kings Day on January 6. The traditions, the Nochebuena dinner, and where to spend it: Santo Domingo, Santiago or the beach.
Oscar Garcia··4 min read
Become a Local Friend · Tokyo
How to Become a Rental Friend in Japan (2026): Agencies, the Visa Question, and Another Way to Do It
Most rental friends in Japan work through an agency that screens them and assigns clients. Here is how that works, what to check before you sign up, why your visa matters more than your Japanese, and a second route: showing visitors your city.
Oscar Garcia··4 min read
Events · Lima
Señor de los Milagros 2026: Lima's Purple Month, Explained
Every October, Lima dresses in purple and follows a 17th-century painting of Christ through the streets. What the Señor de los Milagros is and how to see it.
Oscar Garcia··3 min read
Events · Cartagena
Cartagena Independence Festivities 2026: Parades, Drums and November 11
Every November, Cartagena celebrates being the first city in Colombia to declare full independence. The 2026 dates, the parades and how to join in.
Oscar Garcia··3 min read
Events · Medellín
Medellín Christmas Lights 2026: The Alumbrados, Velitas and the Novenas
Every December Medellín lights up the river, the parks and its hillside neighbourhoods. When the alumbrados are on, where to see them and the nights that matter.
Oscar Garcia··3 min read
Events · Cancún
Hanal Pixán 2026: The Maya Day of the Dead Near Cancún and Tulum
In the Yucatán, the Day of the Dead has its own name and its own food. What Hanal Pixán is, the days in 2026, and how to see it from the Riviera Maya.
Oscar Garcia··3 min read
Events · Phuket
Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2026: The Processions, the Food, and How to Watch
Nine days of meat-free street food, firecrackers and processions of entranced mediums through Phuket Town. When it falls in 2026, where to go and how to watch it well.
Oscar Garcia··4 min read
Events · Chiang Mai
Yi Peng 2026 in Chiang Mai: The Lantern Festival, the Rules, and Where to Go
Thousands of paper lanterns rising over Chiang Mai: the picture everyone knows from Thailand. When Yi Peng falls in 2026, where to see it, and the rules most visitors don't know.
Oscar Garcia··4 min read
Events · Cali
Feria de Cali 2026: The Salsódromo, the Concerts, and Six Days of Salsa
Six days at the end of December when the salsa capital of the world throws its biggest party. The dates for 2026, the events worth seeing and how to dance through it.
Oscar Garcia··4 min read
Events · Punta Cana
Día de la Altagracia 2027: The Pilgrimage to Higüey, Near Punta Cana
Every January 21, the Dominican Republic walks to Higüey. The country's biggest pilgrimage happens 45 minutes from the resorts of Punta Cana, and almost no visitor knows.
Oscar Garcia··4 min read
Events · Santo Domingo
Dominican Carnival 2027: The Sundays, the Devils and Where to See It
Every Sunday in February, Dominican towns fill with masked devils, whips and music. La Vega is the most famous, but every region has its own characters. How to see it in 2027.
Oscar Garcia··3 min read