The Roavi Blog
Stories from people who live there.
Travel tips, city guides, and local insights from the Roavi team.
974 articles
Travel Tips · Cusco
Cusco vs the Sacred Valley: Where to Stay for Machu Picchu
Should you base yourself in Cusco or the Sacred Valley? The altitude, transit-time, and vibe tradeoffs, decided honestly.
Oscar Garcia··5 min read
Travel Guides · Cusco
The Best Day Trips from Cusco (That Aren't Machu Picchu)
Rainbow Mountain, Humantay Lake, Maras & Moray, Pisac — the honest ranking of Cusco day trips from locals who actually do them.
Oscar Garcia··5 min read
Food · Mexico City
Where Do Locals Eat in Mexico City? A Chilango's Guide
Skip the influencer taco crawls. A chilango's guide to where Mexico City locals actually eat — fondas, mercados, cantinas, comida corrida.
Oscar Garcia··6 min read
City Guides · Tulum
Where Do Locals Hang Out in Tulum? Not the Beach Clubs
The Tulum locals actually live in — the pueblo, the neighborhood taquerías, the cenotes without cover charges. A guide from the tulumeños.
Oscar Garcia··5 min read
Food · Cartagena
Where Do Locals Eat in Cartagena? Real Costeño Spots
The walled-city fixed menu isn't costeño food. Where cartageneros actually eat — mercados, arepas de huevo, patacón trucks, sancocho lunch.
Oscar Garcia··5 min read
Food · Tokyo
Where Locals Actually Eat in Tokyo (Skip the Michelin Chase)
Not the Michelin-starred sushi lottery. The teishoku shops, standing bars, and konbini rituals Tokyo locals eat by every day.
Oscar Garcia··5 min read
Travel Tips · Mexico City
Best eSIM for Mexico in 2026 (Tested in CDMX, Cancún, Oaxaca & Rural Yucatán)
Airalo, Holafly, Ubigi, Nomad — tested in Mexico City, Cancún, Oaxaca, and rural Yucatán. Which eSIMs actually work, where they don't, and what to buy.
Oscar Garcia··6 min read
Travel Tips · Medellín
Best eSIM for Colombia in 2026 (Tested in Medellín, Cartagena & Bogotá)
Real speed tests of Airalo, Holafly, Nomad, and Ubigi in the three cities travelers actually visit — plus when the Claro local SIM still wins.
Oscar Garcia··4 min read
Travel Tips · Bogotá
Bogotá Airport to the City: The Honest 2026 Guide
Taxi, Uber, TransMilenio, or private transfer? Bogotá's El Dorado to the city, priced honestly for 2026 — and which option to skip.
Oscar Garcia··4 min read
Travel Tips · Bangkok
Uber vs Taxi in Bangkok: What Locals Actually Use in 2026
Uber's gone, Grab and Bolt run the city, and metered taxis still work — sometimes. What Bangkok locals actually book, and when.
Oscar Garcia··5 min read
Travel Tips · Bogotá
How Much to Tip in Colombia: A Local's Straight Answer
The 10% service is already on your bill — but that's not the whole answer. Real 2026 tipping guide from Colombians, restaurant to Uber to Local Friend.
Oscar Garcia··5 min read
Comparisons · Tulum
10 Real Alternatives to Tulum in 2026 (From Travelers Who Left)
Tulum's not what it was in 2019. Ten real alternatives — Yucatán, Caribbean, and beyond — from travelers who left and never went back.
Oscar Garcia··6 min read