Tipping after shore excursions

[westcoastcruiser]

Can anyone provide guidelines for acceptable tipping for drivers and tour guides? We are part of a small group and have hired a private tour company in Bangkok and Viet Nam and would like an idea as to what an acceptable amount would be. Thanks!

[comcox]

Can anyone provide guidelines for acceptable tipping for drivers and tour guides? We are part of a small group and have hired a private tour company in Bangkok and Viet Nam and would like an idea as to what an acceptable amount would be. Thanks!

 

I found the following advice on Trip Advisor for Thailand:

 

Tour guides who provide an exceptional (group) experience could be recognised with perhaps a THB100 tip. Tour guides and drivers when taking a private one-on-one service, and where the experience was exceptional, consider a tip for the driver of around THB200-300, and guide around THB400-500.

 

Most of the guidebooks I've been reading say the tipping is not the custom there except in big hotels and restaurants. However, they usually say this with a "but" that people earn so little there that something additional is appreciated.

 

I'm still trying to figure out how much before ordering all my foreign currency. Not easy.

[Bufrenee]

US Dollars are always more acceptable than local currency, I normaly carry a lot of single dollar bills and five dollar bills. Five dollars for the guide and two or three for the driver.

[westcoastcruiser]

Do you think US$ would still be welcome in Bangkok where the US$ is not widely accepted? I mean, wouldn't the recipient have to pay a transaction fee to change it to Baht thereby reducing the amount?

[Bufrenee]

No, US$ is the preferred currency all over SE Asia as long as the notes are clean and not torn. They do have a very active local black market exchange in these parts. In fact US$ is the most preferred currency, even the street vendors quote in dollars.

[Jade13]

Do you think US$ would still be welcome in Bangkok where the US$ is not widely accepted? I mean, wouldn't the recipient have to pay a transaction fee to change it to Baht thereby reducing the amount?

 

They expect to get paid in Thai Baht in Thailand.

 

In Europe they expect to get paid in Euros.

[fuzzieo]

We used $US in Bangkok, Hanoi, Saigon, etc. Prices in the local markets were always quoted in $US. Small stores also quoted prices in $US All the tips we gave were in $US; our guides always seemed quite grateful. This was two years ago.

 

In Europe we tip in Euros.

 

Jeanne

[Bufrenee]

I agree with you that US$ is accepted all over SE Asia, the only two exceptions are Hong Kong, Japan and Singapore, where they will give you the current exchange less a percentage at the shops and street vendors. We were there twice last year and had no problems tipping and making purchases with dollars.

[happy cruiser K]

I found the following advice on Trip Advisor for Thailand:

 

Tour guides who provide an exceptional (group) experience could be recognised with perhaps a THB100 tip. Tour guides and drivers when taking a private one-on-one service, and where the experience was exceptional, consider a tip for the driver of around THB200-300, and guide around THB400-500.

 

Most of the guidebooks I've been reading say the tipping is not the custom there except in big hotels and restaurants. However, they usually say this with a "but" that people earn so little there that something additional is appreciated.

 

I'm still trying to figure out how much before ordering all my foreign currency. Not easy.

Thanks for the info on tipping. We are taking a full day private tour in Bangkok and I am wondering whether you buy the guide and driver lunch and dinner or not ? Please help me out with this question. Kay

[westcoastcruiser]

I actually wrote our contact person for our tours in Bangkok and he advised that tipping in US $ is preferred. He suggested about $3 per person (driver/guide) per day. I am certain an exceptional experience would warrant more :D

[Bufrenee]

As a general rule they do not like to eat with foreigners or farang in the local language, however when we visited and had use of a friends car and driver we always gave the driver a couple of dollars and told him to eat and then pick us up at a certain time from the restaurant. The Thais do this also for their drivers. When we lived there we did that for our driver every time we ended up at a dinner party or restaurant.

They would really appreciate you if you hand them the money and tell them to "kin kow" in the local language.

[happy cruiser K]

As a general rule they do not like to eat with foreigners or farang in the local language, however when we visited and had use of a friends car and driver we always gave the driver a couple of dollars and told him to eat and then pick us up at a certain time from the restaurant. The Thais do this also for their drivers. When we lived there we did that for our driver every time we ended up at a dinner party or restaurant.

They would really appreciate you if you hand them the money and tell them to "kin kow" in the local language.

Thank you for answering my dilemma. Kay

[tommui987]

US Dollars are always more acceptable than local currency

 

Culturally speaking, some books mention the fact that using US dollars in foreign countries can seem like a slam on them or lording over them.

[Bufrenee]

What does culture have anything to do with money? Most of these countries quote you a price in dollars and they rather you pay in dollars. Like in Vietnam, every time you step off a coach all the vendors try to sell you trinkets for one dollar. Money is money to them and they get more value for their money locally using foreign currency. There was a time in China where the locals could not buy imported goods using local currency.

[Jade13]

What does culture have anything to do with money? Most of these countries quote you a price in dollars and they rather you pay in dollars. Like in Vietnam, every time you step off a coach all the vendors try to sell you trinkets for one dollar. Money is money to them and they get more value for their money locally using foreign currency. There was a time in China where the locals could not buy imported goods using local currency.

 

In Vietnam they will take US, but in Thailand they expect and quote in Thai Baht. I know because I lived and worked in Thailand. Not only has every guide I emailed in Thailand quoted in Thai Baht, but even the large hotels such as Shangra La's dinner cruise quote and take Thai Baht.

 

Please do not lump all of these countries together. Some will tale US such as Vietnam and Cambodia, but Thailand, China, and Singapore prefer their own currency. Maybe you will get a guide who will take US, but better to settle that before you arrive.