Tipping in Vietnam – Is it Necessary?

By scent on Nov 30, 2020

Vietnam is a fast-growing country however, several locals are still living on average salaries. How is tipping in Vietnam essential to these average earners?

Tipping in Vietnam doesn’t need to be huge in amounts. Since most locals live off a simple life, a small tip can be appreciated more than you can expect.

Tipping Guide for Taxis

One of the most convenient ways to get around Vietnam is through taxis. Tipping taxi drivers in Vietnam is one of the most common questions Expats ask.

In general, Taxi drivers in the country expect to receive the exact amount equivalent to what’s in their taxi meter. An example is if your fare is at 42,000 VND (2 USD), you can hand over around 50,000 VND (2.17 USD) and let the driver keep the change.

However, tipping the drivers depends on your discretion. If they had a stellar service and worth the tip, then why not?

Tipping Guide for Restaurants

The country is a food haven that offers an array of mouthwatering dishes from local to international cuisines.

In Vietnam, avoid tipping sidewalk vendors as it is deemed to be insulting for the person. A compliment is more than enough for them.

On the other hand, upscale restaurants charge between 5-10% thus you don’t need to tip. In case you’re unsure, you can check your receipt to see if the restaurant charged a service fee.

However, if you are pleased about a waiter/waitress, you can directly hand them a tip of around 50,000 VND – 100,000 VND (2 USD – 5USD).

Tipping Guide for Spas

Spas in Vietnam are typically the ones who are given tips as most employees come from rural areas and are less fortunate. Some of these are underpaid and mostly rely on tips from customers.

For a masseuse’ service, you can give around 50,000 VND – 100,000 VND as a tip. Some luxury spas have a service charge around 5-10% which is also covered in the price.

However, common spas or the mid-range ones don’t have this. It would be best to directly hand the tip to the person it’s meant for.

Tipping Guide for Tour Guides

Tour guides in Vietnam get most of their earnings through tips from travellers. Being in this business, they have to endure being away from family and work even under serious weather conditions.

However, they are the best person to assist you to get the best of Vietnam during your trip. If you are highly satisfied with their service, you can tip them around 5-10 USD depending on the trip length.

Tipping Guide for Accommodations

Generally, locals do not tip hotel staff as much as they do for tour guides and masseuse. This is not a mandatory thing to do for hotel staff as it is included in the accommodation rate.

In the event you want to do, you can hand them at least a dollar or two directly. Again, this is highly on your discretion and is non-mandatory.