Advice on Tipping in Bali
 

I'd appreciate advice on tipping in Bali.

often a 5-10% tip is added to bills, so depending service received I often add more

OK. What about tipping at a hotel at departure (Alam Shanti) for staff to share? And at their spa?

Yes, you can do both. For the spa, we just added some Rupiah to the total at the end, when we signed for their services.

As part of a trip from Scotland to Australia to visit our daughter and family we're stopping off in Bali to celebrate a wedding anniversary on the 25th January, 2015. We arrive on Saturday 24th January, staying at the Sudamala Suites and Villas, Sanur, and leave for Brisbane late on the following Tuesday evening.
I'm wondering what would be a good way to spend the anniversary day, e.g. an island tour followed by a nice dinner. Any suggestions would be appreciated along with ideas for the other days. Lying on a beach is not really our thing.

Sorry, the above was meant to be a new post.

Thanks !

My choice would also be to tip in cash instead of adding to the credit card or hotel bill as I'm never convinced that the tips get to the people who deserve them.

In upscale restaurants I tend to tip about 15% less the amount that's already been added to the bill. In spas I give the individual operator IDR20,000 to IDR50,000 in cash depending on the treatment.I

I like to give taxi drivers IDR10,000 to 20,000, but since they never seem to have change they often end up with more or less.

On the subject of money, be very careful who you do your money changing with in Bali, as you could easily end up giving the money changer a big unintended tip.

Here is the latest official article from Bali Update...

"(24 Oct 2014) Bali governor Made Mangku Pastika has called on Bank Indonesia to strictly enforce rules against illegal money changers in Bali who are seen as creating discontent among tourist visitors to the island.

The Governor's call to arms was issued during a visit to his office in Denpasar by the chief of the Bali and Nusa Tenggara district for Bank Indonesia, Benny Siswanto on Wednesday, October 22, 2014.

As reported by Metrobali.com, Benny Siswanto says only 120 registered moneychangers are licensed in Bali. However, the number of actual moneychangers carrying on business on the Island far exceeds this number.

Siswanto explained to the press that his office does not have the enforcement authority to impose sanctions on illegal moneychangers. Any enforcement measures remains the prerogative of the police.

Siswanto promised the Governor that the problem of illegal moneychangers would receive more attention in the future in order to protect the reputation of Bali tourism."

LL-- do you have first hand info about this... were you cheated?? where in these statements does it say that some of the unofficial moneychangers are cheating people??

Yep, I've got first hand very recent experience. We almost got cheated on our first day in Sanur. My own fault, we were tired from a long journey.

I posted this on another forum...

"Beware of the money changers close to Hardy's.

We changed GB£200 on our first day at the money changer called 'Pedagang Valuta Asing', which adjoins the Putri Home Stay, which is opposite and to the left of Hardy's as you look at the road from the Hardy store entrance.

We almost got cheated out of 1,000,000 (one million) rupiah, which = c£50! It was our first day and me and the cook were both tired, and off-guard, but not quite off-guard enough for these low-lifers.

They give Bali a bad name, and it's not the taste you want swilling around in your mouth, especially on the first day of a 4 week holiday.

PS. No need for anyone to give me a hard time please, and yep I read the FAQs."

I'm not going to post the FAQ from the other forum (you know which one!), but it's well worth reading, and taking heed of.

Back to tipping. Another consideration when in a Bali restaurant is how to pay the bill, cash or card?

Personally, I'd never use a card, and I'd certainly never let it out of my sight.