The Roavi Blog
Stories from people who live there.
Travel tips, city guides, and local insights from the Roavi team.
453 articles
Travel Tips · Tokyo
Japan Etiquette: The Rules That Actually Matter (And the Ones That Don't)
Most Japan etiquette lists are written to frighten you. Breaking a rule doesn't cause offence — things just go quietly wrong and nobody tells you why. The five that matter, the four you can stop worrying about, and the practical ones nobody mentions.
Oscar Garcia··4 min read
Travel Tips · Tokyo
Getting Around Tokyo: Suica, the Yamanote Line, and Why You Probably Don't Need a JR Pass
Tokyo's trains are easy. The tickets confuse people, and one expensive product is sold hard to tourists who don't need it. IC cards, the four lines worth knowing, and the last-train problem that shapes every night out.
Oscar Garcia··4 min read
Itineraries · Santo Domingo
Dominican Republic Itinerary: 7 Days, Done Properly
The island is bigger than the map suggests and the roads are slower. One route that works — capital, mountains, north coast, Samaná — plus two alternatives if you'd rather unpack once.
Oscar Garcia··5 min read
Safety · Santo Domingo
Common Scams in the Dominican Republic (2026)
Almost every way visitors lose money in the DR comes down to one thing: a price nobody agreed up front. Here are the ten specific situations, and the three habits that end all of them.
Oscar Garcia··6 min read
City Guides · Santo Domingo
Where to Stay in Santo Domingo (2026): Neighbourhood Guide
Zona Colonial for atmosphere, Gazcue for the real city, Piantini for comfort. An honest breakdown of where to sleep in the DR's capital — and why it isn't a beach holiday.
Oscar Garcia··4 min read
City Guides · Medellín
Where to Stay in Medellín (2026): Poblado vs Laureles
Poblado is where every visitor stays and it isn't where most should. An honest neighbourhood-by-neighbourhood breakdown, including the hills nobody warns you about.
Oscar Garcia··4 min read
City Guides · Mexico City
Things to Do in Mexico City (2026): A Chilango Shortlist
Anthropology museum, lucha libre, Xochimilco on a Sunday and tacos al pastor at midnight — the ten things worth your days in CDMX, with the practical detail most lists skip.
Oscar Garcia··6 min read
Travel Tips · Lima
How to Meet Locals in Lima (2026): Start With Lunch
Lima is a food city before it is anything else, and that's the way in. Markets, huariques and the fixed-price menú will get you further than any bar in Miraflores.
Oscar Garcia··5 min read
Travel Tips · Bogotá
How to Meet Locals in Bogotá (2026): A Rolo's Guide
Bogotanos have a reputation for being the reserved Colombians. They're not cold — they're formal, and the code takes a few days. Here's how to shortcut it.
Oscar Garcia··6 min read
Travel Tips · Santo Domingo
How to Meet Locals in Santo Domingo (2026)
Dominicans are among the easiest people on earth to talk to. The problem is that the resort corridor and the Zona Colonial are built so everyone you meet is on shift. Here's how to get past that.
Oscar Garcia··6 min read
Safety · Bangkok
Is Bangkok Safe for Tourists in 2026? An Honest Answer
Bangkok is safer than most large Western cities for the crime people worry about. The three things that actually catch visitors out are scams, the roads, and drinks.
Oscar Garcia··6 min read
Travel Tips · Medellín
How to Meet Locals in Medellín: 7 Ways That Work
Parque Lleras is where tourists meet other tourists. Here's how to actually connect with paisas — from language exchanges and Laureles bars to the fastest shortcut of all.
Oscar Garcia··7 min read