The Roavi Blog
Stories from people who live there.
Travel tips, city guides, and local insights from the Roavi team.
974 articles
Become a Local Friend
Rent a Local Friend Jobs: What the Work Is, and What It Actually Pays
People search for this looking for a job listing. It isn't one — there's no employer, no salary and no shift. It's closer to freelancing, and the honest numbers are worth knowing before you start.
Oscar Garcia··7 min read
Travel Tips
Rent a Local Friend: How It Works, What It Costs, and Whether It's Legit
The phrase sounds strange in English and puts people off before they understand it. It's a real category with a long history — and there are specific things worth checking before you use any of them.
Oscar Garcia··7 min read
City Guides · Bangkok
Where to Stay in Bangkok (2026): Which Area to Actually Book
Sukhumvit for convenience, Riverside for the view, Old City for the temples, Ari for real life. Which area to book depends on one thing almost nobody thinks about first: the train.
Oscar Garcia··6 min read
Travel Tips · Bangkok
Bangkok Airport to City Centre (2026): Every Option, Honestly Compared
Two airports, four sensible ways into town, and one scam that catches people before they have left the arrivals hall. What each option actually costs and how long it really takes.
Oscar Garcia··6 min read
City Guides · Bangkok
Bangkok Nightlife (2026): Beyond the Streets You've Heard Of
Bangkok's reputation is built on three streets that most Bangkokians never go to. Here is what the rest of the city does after dark — rooftops, Thong Lo, live music, and the night markets.
Oscar Garcia··6 min read
Family Travel · Bangkok
Bangkok With Kids (2026): What Actually Works With Children
Thailand is genuinely one of the easiest places in the world to travel with small children — and Bangkok is the hardest part of it. Heat, traffic and pavements are the real problems, not safety.
Oscar Garcia··6 min read
Travel Tips · Punta Cana
Dominican Republic Hurricane Season (2026): What It Actually Means for Your Trip
The season runs June to November and most of it is uneventful. The honest version: which months carry real risk, what the weather is actually like, and why the cheapest weeks are cheap.
Oscar Garcia··7 min read
City Guides · Santo Domingo
The Zona Colonial, Santo Domingo (2026): The Oldest City in the Americas
The first cathedral, the first hospital, the first paved street in the Americas — all within a few blocks. A walking guide to the Zona Colonial, and how to see it without the tourist tax.
Oscar Garcia··6 min read
City Guides · Puerto Plata
Cabarete (2026): The Dominican Republic's Wind and Water Town
A kitesurfing town on the north coast that runs on a daily wind schedule. Nothing like Punta Cana — no resorts wall, no gates, and a beach where the bars put tables in the sand.
Oscar Garcia··6 min read
City Guides · Santiago
Jarabacoa (2026): The Dominican Republic Nobody Books
Pine forests, whitewater rafting, waterfalls and genuinely cool nights — in the middle of the island, two hours from the coast, and almost entirely unvisited by international tourists.
Oscar Garcia··5 min read
Travel Tips · Punta Cana
What to Pack for the Dominican Republic: The Things People Actually Forget
Everyone remembers swimwear. Almost nobody brings small peso notes, reef-safe sunscreen, or a long-sleeve layer for a restaurant with the air conditioning set to arctic.
Oscar Garcia··5 min read
Travel Guides · Santo Domingo
Nightlife in the Dominican Republic: Colmados, Merengue and Why It Starts So Late
The resort disco is not the nightlife. A plastic chair outside a colmado with bachata loud enough to argue over is closer to the real thing — and it's free.
Oscar Garcia··5 min read