Savvy Travel Secrets

Tipping In The Maldives

Posted by Savvy Travel Secrets | Feb 4, 2017 | Maldives |

Tipping in the Maldives can be very confusing though. A service charge is included in almost everything and the local government says that tipping is not encouraged and shouldn’t be done. However, everywhere you go you are expected to tip on top of the service charge. Don’t let tipping spoil your holiday though, A trip to the Maldives is a once in a life time experience! It is a place everyone that loves the water should visit. Use our tipping guide below to see how you should tip on your trip to the Maldives. Taxis: You don’t have to tip the taxi drivers unless they go above and beyond or handle your bags. Then a few dollars is appropriate. Hotels: You should tip the bellboy $1-5 per bag and the room boy $10-20 per week. Restaurants: You should tip your waiter $10-20 per week. You will usually have the same waiter for your whole stay. You should ask before hand though. Bars: Tip the bar staff about $10-20 per week. Other: You should tip the boat staff about $5-10 per trip and the spa staff $5-10 per visit. This should be shared among the staff, assuming its not a very large group. If diving then you should tip each crew member. Be prepared to tip in the Maldives and you will greatly enjoy your...

Tipping In Ecuador

Posted by Savvy Travel Secrets | Feb 2, 2017 | Ecuador |

Tipping in Ecuador can be common in certain places and rare in others. If traveling in Quito you might expect to tip but in the country side tipping isn’t common at all. Ecuador is the most bio-diverse country in the world. There are things to do for everyone and really is a country everyone must see. You can explore parts of the amazon or do some extreme sports in Baños. There are also some great tours throughout all the cities. While traveling in Ecuador you should know who to tip and when. Use our tipping guide below to get the best experience on your travels! Taxis: If using a meter you can round up the fare as a tip. If not then you should agree on a price before hand. Hotels: You should tip the bell boy about $.50-1 a bag. You should also tip the maid $1 per night. Restaurants: At mid range to the more expensive restaurants you will see a 10% service charge on the bill. At smaller restaurants you should tip about 5-10% directly to the waiter. Bars: You might see a cover charge to enter a bar and this is normal as drinks are cheap. You can tip the bar tenders about 5% at the end if you enjoyed the service. Other: If taking a tour then you should...

Tipping In The Cayman Islands

Posted by Savvy Travel Secrets | Feb 1, 2017 | Cayman Islands |

Tipping in The Cayman Islands is common as it is a resort destination and tipping is used as a reward for good service. The Cayman Islands is known for its great beaches and amazing dive sites. It is a MUST for any divers and water fanatics! Use our tipping guide below to learn how much you should tip when traveling around the Caymans. Taxis: You will agree on the fare when entering the cab, however you are still expected to tip 10-15% on top of this. Hotels: Though you may see a service charge added to your bill you are still expected to tip. You should tip the bellboy $1-2 per bag and the maid $1-2 a night. Restaurants: Tax and service is already included in the bill at about 15%. If you feel the service was exceptional then you can add a bit extra or round up. This extra will go directly to the waiter rather then to house to be split between everyone. Bars: Like restaurants tax and service is included in the bill. Most people will tip the bar tender $.50 to 1 to get better service. Other: If diving or snorkeling you should also tip the crew. Depending on your experience you should aim to tip $5-15 per person per day. Don’t forget your life is in your diver masters...

Tipping In Costa Rica

Posted by Savvy Travel Secrets | Feb 1, 2017 | Costa Rica |

Tipping in Costa Rica isn’t part of the culture, however it sometimes is included in prices or be expected to tip in certain places. Costa Rica is home of amazing beaches and beautiful jungles. If you want to go trekking through the jungle or simply lay on the beach and in the sun then Costa Rica is place for you! Use our guide below to figure out when you should tip around Costa Rica. Taxis: Tipping a taxi driver isn’t expected unless they go above and beyond normal service. Then 200 Colon would be appropriate. Hotels: In high end hotels you should tip the bellboy $1-2 per bag and the maid $1-2 a night. If in a budget hotel then you should tip less the this. Restaurants: Tax and service is already included in the bill. If you feel the service was exceptional then you can add a bit extra or round up. Bars: Like restaurants tax and service is included in the bill. Most people do tip about 100-200 colons per drink for better service. Other: You should tip any guide about $10 per day per person. You should tip the drivers about half that per day per person. If doing shorter guided tours then tip about half the above. Our Tip: Always wanted to move to Costa Rica but have been...

Tipping In South Africa

Posted by Savvy Travel Secrets | Feb 1, 2017 | South Africa |

Tipping in South Africa is very common and often expected. South Africa offers some amazing out door activities and some of the best guided tours in the world. With lots to do around the country its no surprise tipping is very common. When traveling to South Africa you should be prepared to tip. Use our guide below to figure out when you should tip on your travels! Taxis: You should tip taxi drivers about 10% of the total fare. Hotels: You should tip the bellboy about 10 RAND per bag and you should tip the maid about 15 RAND per night. Restaurants: You should expect to tip between 10-15%. Make sure service isn’t already included on the bill though, as they will add it for larger parties. Bars: As with restuarants you should aim to tip 10-15% in bars. If you have a sit down service with a large group make sure gratuity isn’t already included though. Other: When taking a guided tour you should expect to tip the guide about 10% of the cost or around 10 RAND per person. If you have a separate driver and guide then you should tip the guide 15 RAND and the driver about 10 RAND. You should also tip gas attendants 5 RAND and car guards about 2-5...