Tipping guidelines available

Tipping t restaurants is not expected in Asia, but will certainly be accepted. Leave about 5000 - 10,000 kip in Laos, no more. A 50,000 Kip for an all day guide is more than enough. Sometimes companies like exotissimo overdo it.

Oh and it is definitely not customary to tip cleaners in a hotel.

'Sometimes companies like exotissimo overdo it." - certainly not a source I would trust!

i do not like these kinds of things....you tip for good service or exceltional service regardless of what some consider the norm... give what you want and forget guidelines...

I've never used this company, but I would take their tipping guidelines with a large serving of salt. They are giving guidelines to travelers who are unfamiliar with SE Asia, so are using their services. These travelers come from a variety of countries, some of which have traditions of tipping and some do not. These SE Asia countries do not have traditions of tipping. But a company like exotissimo has a stake in getting you to tip their guides very generously, perhaps so they don't need to pay them so much.

Mid and higher end hotels all add a 10% service charge to your bill automatically.

Thanks to everyone for your local knowledge. If you have a guide for a day (Like Tong, Ponheary, or Putu) what do you usually give as a tip? I'm booking them and would really like to know an appropriate amount, given that they're all great.

Already told you - 50,000 Kip a day is a nice tip for them.

Vientianeboy,
50,000 kip translates to about $6....that doesn't sound like enough.

Also, I thought perhaps the recommended amount might differ by country....what's acceptable in Laos might not be the same for Thailand or Bali.

barefoot, you are quite right that the economies of these countries are different from each other.

I'm not one to use guides, so I can't tell you what I've done, but many people consider the cost of a day and add a percentage. There are others who negotiate a "full cost" with a driver/guide and don't expect to add more. A lot of this is up to your discretion.

Thanks Kathie. I'm sure we'll figure this out. There's also a big variation in what country the tourist comes from. As Americans, we were given tipping guidelines for African safaris that were 3-4 times what British tourists were told to tip by their tour operators.

Yes, it sounds like you understand the situation, barefoot.

Bfb, US citizens are regarded as huge tippers, (overtippers?). Believe me, the guides in Laos will be delighted with 50,000 kip. That is more than they earn in a day, so you are in effect tipping them a day's wages.
Bali is different, of course.

My wife, (Lao), who tips more than me said $10.00 as an absolute max for all day.

Thanks again, Kathie and Vientianeboy. $10 sounds like a good amount to me.

There's no straight answer for tipping. There are factors such as the quality of the guide and perhaps their specialty, such as an adventure guide who would earn a higher rate. Nationality does affect what is expected, Americans for example are known for high tipping. However, service is key - guide experiences vary dramtically. As rhkkmk states, you tip for good service - and this amount may different for everyone from budget to high-end traveler, although $10/day is a good benchmark.

As for Exo and tour companies promoting tipping, it is an necessity to attract and keep the best guides - tips can add up to more than salary, and in turn generates better service. Ever eaten in places where tips are not customary?

"Ever eaten in places where tips are not customary?" - let's see - New Zealand, Australia, China, Japan... service was fine.

We'll never resolve this. lol lol lol. To an Australian, this whole tipping conversation is an idiocy and the whole idea of being TOLD what to tip is a particular insult.

Seems not - what really puzzles me is these people who WANT to tip in non-tipping countries! (Even insist on it.)

VeloAsia is a travel agent or travel company that has been posting here since 2004 so I guess the T-Agents want people to tips for their guides to substitute their low pay?

Hanuman 10 - VeloAsia 0

I agree with thursdaysd. Why anyone would want to go against the customs, culture and practice of the country in which they are guests is beyond me.

Well, tipping in Japan is regarded as an insult. I have no complaints about any service there.

> tipping in Japan is regarded as an insult.

Well just because I am a Japanese and for the record, it's not an insult. That's too strong a word, I'd say. A better word may be awkward and a bit embarassing if you see difference. Anyway tipping is simply just not done. There are a few exceptions, a form of tipping (like so called kokoro-zuke), exist though at some very high-end places. Very few and rare so you can say it's non-existent for ordinary taravellers - customers.