The Roavi Blog
Stories from people who live there.
Travel tips, city guides, and local insights from the Roavi team.
974 articles
Events · Santo Domingo
Dominican Independence Day, February 27: The Story and How to Spend It
On February 27, 1844, the Dominican Republic declared its independence at the Puerta del Conde in Santo Domingo. What happened, who the three founding fathers were, and how the day is celebrated now.
Oscar Garcia··3 min read
Events
Diwali 2026: The Festival of Lights, Its Five Days, and Where to See It
Oil lamps in every window, sweets passed between neighbours, fireworks into the night. When Diwali falls in 2026, what it means, and where to experience it.
Oscar Garcia··3 min read
Events
Lunar New Year 2027: The Year of the Goat, and Where to Celebrate It
Red lanterns, family feasts, lion dances and the biggest travel rush on earth. When Lunar New Year falls in 2027, what to expect, and where to see it.
Oscar Garcia··2 min read
Events
Rio Carnival 2027: Dates, the Sambadrome, the Blocos and How to Do It
The biggest party on earth has two halves: the samba schools' parades in the Sambadrome, and hundreds of free street parties all over the city. How to plan both for 2027.
Oscar Garcia··2 min read
Events · Tokyo
Cherry Blossom Season in Japan 2027: When, Where and How to Do Hanami
For two weeks a year Japan turns pink and the whole country goes outside. When the sakura usually bloom, where to see them, and how to plan a trip around a date nobody can fix in advance.
Oscar Garcia··3 min read
Events
Semana Santa 2027: Holy Week Dates and the Best Places to Experience It
Candlelit processions in Seville, carpets of flowers in Antigua, and in the Caribbean, the year's biggest beach week. When Holy Week falls in 2027 and what to expect where.
Oscar Garcia··2 min read
Events
Day of the Dead in Oaxaca 2026: Where to Go, Night by Night
Oaxaca is where Day of the Dead is most alive: candlelit cemeteries, street parades with brass bands, and markets buried in marigolds. How to plan 2026, night by night.
Oscar Garcia··5 min read
Events
The Day of the Dead Altar (Ofrenda): What Goes on It and What It Means
An ofrenda is a welcome home for someone who has died. Every object on it has a job. Here's what goes on one, what it means, and how to make your own.
Oscar Garcia··4 min read
Travel Guides · Punta Cana
Hoyo Azul, Punta Cana: How to Visit the Blue Cenote (and Whether It's Worth It)
The photo is real: a pool of impossibly blue water at the foot of a cliff. Here's how you get there, what it costs in time, and how to see it without the crowd.
Oscar Garcia··3 min read
Travel Tips · Punta Cana
Punta Cana Buggy Tours: What They're Really Like and How to Pick a Good One
The buggy tour is Punta Cana's most popular excursion and its muddiest. Here's what happens on one, what to wear, the stops that are really shops, and how to choose.
Oscar Garcia··3 min read
Travel Guides · Punta Cana
Altos de Chavón: The Stone Village Above the River, and Whether to Go
It looks five hundred years old and it isn't. Altos de Chavón is a stone village built on a cliff above the Chavón River in La Romana — and one of the most photographed places in the country.
Oscar Garcia··3 min read
Travel Guides · Punta Cana
Isla Catalina: The Dominican Republic's Best Snorkeling Day Trip
Smaller and calmer than Saona, and much better underwater. How to get to Isla Catalina, where to snorkel, and how it compares with the Saona trip.
Oscar Garcia··3 min read