You do not have to tip in Bali, and many bills already include a 10% tax plus a service charge of about 5 to 11%, up to 21% in total. Where a tip is common, travel guides suggest Rp 50,000 to Rp 100,000 for a private driver for the day, Rp 100,000 to Rp 200,000 for a full-day guide, Rp 20,000 to Rp 50,000 for a massage and Rp 10,000 to Rp 20,000 per bag for a hotel porter. Check the bill first, and carry small rupiah notes.
By Alex Moskvin, Founder of SB Excursions · Published 3 November 2026 · Updated 3 November 2026
Tour on this route: Private Car with Driver in Bali — From $59 per car, flexible daily use.
Do you have to tip in Bali?
No. Tipping is optional. Many bills already add a 10% tax plus a service charge of about 5 to 11%, which can total 21%, and then an extra tip is not needed. A tip is common and welcome for drivers, guides, spa therapists and hotel porters.
This guide also answers:
- How much should I tip a private driver in Bali?
- How much should I tip a tour guide in Bali?
- What does ++ mean on a Bali menu?
Top picks from this guide
#1
Private drivers
For a private driver, Bali Holiday Secrets and Rukita suggest Rp 50,000 to Rp 100,000 for the day, and the first of them calls up to Rp 150,000 standard for very good service. For Grab and Gojek riders the guides suggest rounding up the fare, or Rp 5,000 to Rp 20,000.
#2
Restaurant bills
A bill marked ++ adds a 10% tax and a service charge of about 5 to 11%. If the service charge is on the bill, an extra tip is optional. If it is not, the guides suggest 5 to 10% of the bill, and Rp 50,000 to Rp 100,000 is called generous in fine dining.
#3
Warungs and market stalls
At a local warung a tip is not expected. Rukita says most people round up: a meal of Rp 47,000 becomes Rp 50,000 and the cashier keeps the change. Travelling King gives the same idea for market sellers, for example an item of Rp 15,000 paid with Rp 20,000.
#4
Guides and boat crews
Guides suggest Rp 50,000 to Rp 100,000 for a half-day guide and Rp 100,000 to Rp 200,000 for a full day. On a group tour Travelling King suggests pooling the tips into one amount. None of the guides we read gives a figure for boat crews, so ask the operator who shares a tip.
#5
Spa and massage
If the spa has already added a service charge, a tip is optional. Otherwise Rukita and Bali Holiday Secrets give Rp 20,000 to Rp 50,000 for a standard massage, and Rukita gives Rp 50,000 to Rp 100,000 or more at luxury spas. Travelling King suggests 10 to 20% of the price.
#6
Hotel staff
Rukita suggests Rp 10,000 to Rp 20,000 per bag for a porter, although Travelling King gives Rp 5,000 to Rp 10,000. Housekeeping gets Rp 10,000 to Rp 50,000 per day, left with a note. For a concierge who solves a hard request, Rp 50,000 or more is suggested.
Do you have to tip in Bali, and how much?
No. Tipping is not a rule in Bali. Wikivoyage's Indonesia guide says that Indonesians themselves tip only for very good service, and that in tourist areas such as Bali a tip is often hoped for. Bali Holiday Secrets says the same: a tip is welcome, never required, and it is most common in jobs such as driving, guiding and spa work, where wages can be modest.
The figures below are the ranges that three guides give: Bali Holiday Secrets (updated January 2026), Rukita (June 2026) and Travelling King (updated January 2025). The guides differ from each other, so we show the range they cover. These are suggestions, not rules.
| Who | Suggested tip | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Private driver, full day | Rp 50,000-100,000 | Bali Holiday Secrets also says up to Rp 150,000 is standard for very good service |
| Grab or Gojek rider | Round up, or Rp 5,000-20,000 | Both apps let you add a tip in the app |
| Guide, half day | Rp 50,000-100,000 | Travelling King gives this per person |
| Guide, full day | Rp 100,000-200,000 | Travelling King suggests Rp 200,000-300,000 per person for a private day |
| Massage with no service charge | Rp 20,000-50,000 | Travelling King suggests 10-20% of the price |
| Hotel porter | Rp 10,000-20,000 per bag | Travelling King gives Rp 5,000-10,000 |
| Housekeeping | Rp 10,000-50,000 per day | Travelling King: Rp 10,000-20,000; Rukita: Rp 20,000-50,000 at upscale hotels |
| Restaurant with no service charge | 5-10% of the bill | On a bill of Rp 500,000 that is Rp 25,000-50,000 |
| Warung or market stall | Round up | Rp 47,000 becomes Rp 50,000 |
| Bartender | Rp 10,000-20,000 per drink or round | Bali Holiday Secrets and Travelling King |
What do ++ and the service charge on a Bali bill mean?
Menus in hotels and many restaurants show prices with ++. It means that tax and a service charge are added at the end. The Bali Sun explained in April 2026 that the tax, called PBJT, is set at 10%, and that the service charge is set by the restaurant, not by the government, typically between 5% and 11%, and should go to the staff. Together they add up to 21% at most. Check whether the menu prices are marked ++ or already include both.
If the printed service charge is on your bill, a further tip is optional, and many local diners simply pay the bill as it is, according to Rukita. If there is no service charge, the guides suggest 5 to 10%. Bali Holiday Secrets notes that some visitors pay twice because they do not see that a service charge is already on the bill.
| Menu total | With 10% tax and 5% service | With 10% tax and 11% service |
|---|---|---|
| Rp 200,000 | Rp 230,000 | Rp 242,000 |
| Rp 500,000 | Rp 575,000 | Rp 605,000 |
| Rp 1,000,000 | Rp 1,150,000 | Rp 1,210,000 |
Our calculation, adding the two charges together as The Bali Sun does. The printed total on your bill is what counts.
How much do you tip a driver, a guide or a boat crew?
A private driver spends the whole day with you, and the guides suggest Rp 50,000 to Rp 100,000 for the day. This is one amount for the day. Bali Holiday Secrets says a tip is a good way to show thanks when the driver helps with bags or suggests good stops. If you book a day with a driver, our private car with driver is from $59 per car, and our private driver cost guide explains why that price is per car and not per person. For rides in the apps, see our guide to Grab, Gojek or a private driver.
For guides, Rukita and Travelling King give Rp 50,000 to Rp 100,000 for a half day and Rp 100,000 to Rp 200,000 for a full day. On a group tour Travelling King suggests that the group pools the tips and hands over one amount. For boat crews on snorkelling and island trips, none of the three guides gives a figure, so the group-tour rule is the safest: pool the tip and ask the operator who shares it.
Tip the guide you booked. Apéritif's tipping guide advises against tipping people who press you to hire them outside temples and waterfalls. In November 2023 the head of the Buleleng Tourism Service said that visitors to Sekumpul Waterfall are not obliged to take a guide or a package and must pay only the entrance ticket, as The Bali Sun reported.
How much do you tip at spas, hotels and bars?
Spas often add a service charge, so look at the bill first. Where there is none, Rp 20,000 to Rp 50,000 is the usual range for a standard massage, and Rp 50,000 to Rp 100,000 or more for a luxury treatment. In hotels, porters get Rp 10,000 to Rp 20,000 per bag, housekeeping Rp 10,000 to Rp 50,000 per day (the higher figure is for upscale hotels and longer stays), and a concierge Rp 50,000 or more for real help such as a hard-to-get booking. Travelling King suggests leaving housekeeping money in a visible place with a note that it is for the staff.
In bars, Rp 10,000 to Rp 20,000 per drink or round is the figure both Bali Holiday Secrets and Travelling King give. At a warung or a market stall, round up the bill. Our warung guide lists affordable warungs, where rounding up is the usual tip.
How should you hand over a tip?
Use rupiah in cash, in small notes of Rp 10,000, Rp 20,000 and Rp 50,000. The Bali Sun lists tipping drivers, waiters and hotel staff among the reasons to carry cash, and Bali Holiday Secrets says that foreign money, especially coins, is hard for staff to exchange. See our money guide for where to get small notes without a scam.
Hand the money over quietly. Wikivoyage describes passing it folded in a slightly cupped right hand, and Bali Holiday Secrets recommends both hands and a simple *terima kasih*, which means thank you. Do not throw a rolled-up note on a table. Our trip cost guide shows what the rest of a week in Bali costs.
Where these facts come from
- The Bali Sun, 4 April 2026: Bali's hidden tourist fees — PBJT tax at 10%, service charge 5-11% set by the venue, up to 21% in total, check ++, retrieved 2 November 2026
- Bali Holiday Secrets: Tipping in Bali — updated 4 January 2026; drivers, guides, hotel staff, spa, bars, handing over a tip, retrieved 2 November 2026
- Rukita: Tipping in Indonesia — 19 June 2026; restaurant, warung, hotel, spa and guide amounts, retrieved 2 November 2026
- Travelling King: Tipping in Bali — updated 12 January 2025; guides per person, pooling on group tours, porters, housekeeping, spa percentages, retrieved 2 November 2026
- Apéritif Bali: Tipping in Bali — updated 11 August 2026; no tip for guides who press you outside temples and waterfalls, retrieved 2 November 2026
- Wikivoyage: Indonesia — tipping customs, ++ on menus, how to hand over a tip, retrieved 2 November 2026
- The Bali Sun, 25 December 2024: Tourists should carry cash in Bali — cash for tips and small costs, retrieved 2 November 2026
- The Bali Sun, 17 November 2023: Tourists cannot be forced to pay for guides at waterfalls — Sekumpul guide and package not mandatory, retrieved 2 November 2026
- Tour prices from SB Excursions tour pages, November 2026
FAQ
Do you have to tip in Bali?
No. Tipping is optional. Many bills already add a 10% tax plus a service charge of about 5 to 11%, which can total 21%, and then an extra tip is not needed. A tip is common and welcome for drivers, guides, spa therapists and hotel porters.
How much should I tip a private driver in Bali?
Travel guides suggest Rp 50,000 to Rp 100,000 for a full day, and Bali Holiday Secrets says up to Rp 150,000 is standard for very good service. It is one amount for the day. Give a bit more if the driver helps with bags or suggests good stops.
How much should I tip a tour guide in Bali?
Rukita and Travelling King suggest Rp 50,000 to Rp 100,000 for a half day and Rp 100,000 to Rp 200,000 for a full day. On a group tour, pool the tips and hand over one amount. The guides give no figure for boat crews, so ask the operator who shares a tip.
What does ++ mean on a Bali menu?
It means that 10% tax and a service charge of about 5 to 11% will be added to the prices. Together they can add up to 21%. The service charge is set by the venue and should go to the staff. Check the bill before you add a tip.
Should I tip in rupiah or in dollars?
In rupiah, in small notes of Rp 10,000, Rp 20,000 or Rp 50,000. Staff find it hard to exchange foreign money, especially coins. Hand the tip over quietly with your right hand or both hands.
Do you tip Grab and Gojek drivers in Bali?
It is not required. The guides suggest rounding up the fare or adding Rp 5,000 to Rp 20,000, for example when the driver helps with luggage or delivers in heavy rain. Both apps let you add a tip in the app.
Do you tip for a massage in Bali?
If a service charge is already on the bill, a tip is optional. Without one, Rp 20,000 to Rp 50,000 is the usual range for a standard massage, and Rp 50,000 to Rp 100,000 or more at a luxury spa.
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