Tipping in Indonesia: 2026 Guide for Travelers

Reading a Bali Restaurant Bill

At many Bali restaurants, cafés, and beach clubs, the menu shows “++” or a small line saying prices are subject to service and tax. At the end, two charges are added:

• Service (service charge): usually 5–10%. This is the tip.
• Tax (often shown as PB1 or government tax): around 10%.

When “service” appears on the bill, you don’t need to tip on top. Some diners leave a little cash — IDR 10,000–20,000 — directly for a server who was especially good. At a restaurant that doesn’t charge service, 5–10% or rounding up is appreciated.

At warungs — small, family-run eateries — prices are low and there’s rarely any service charge. No tip is expected, though rounding up is always welcome.

Drivers and Guides

Hiring a private driver for the day is one of the most common ways to see Bali — rice terraces, temples, waterfalls. The day rate usually covers the car, fuel, and driver. On top of that, IDR 50,000–100,000 is a typical tip for a full day, more if they also acted as your guide or waited through long stops.

For organized tours — a sunrise trek up Mount Batur, a snorkeling trip to Nusa Penida — IDR 50,000–100,000 per group for the guide is a reasonable range. See our tour guide tipping guide for how this compares with home.

Spas and Massages

Balinese massage is famously affordable, and therapists earn modest wages. IDR 20,000–50,000 is a normal tip for a one-hour massage at a local spa; at a high-end resort spa, check whether a service charge is already included first. Hand the tip to your therapist directly. More on spa etiquette in our massage tipping guide.

Hotels, Villas, and Ride-Hailing

• Hotel porters: IDR 10,000–20,000 per bag.
• Villa staff: many villas have a cook or housekeeper; IDR 50,000–100,000 per day for the household, left at the end of your stay in an envelope, is a common approach.
• Gojek and Grab: tipping is optional and can be added in the app after the ride.
• Taxis: round up to the nearest IDR 5,000 or 10,000.

Many Bali hotels and villas add a service charge to the room rate; even so, a small tip for staff who looked after you is common practice.

Cash, Zeros, and Rupiah Notes

Tip in rupiah, in cash. The currency has a lot of zeros: very roughly, IDR 16,000 is $1, so IDR 50,000 is about $3 and IDR 100,000 about $6. Keep IDR 10,000, 20,000, and 50,000 notes on hand, since IDR 100,000 notes from ATMs can be hard to break for small tips. Check the exact rate with our currency converter.