Having only opened up to tourists relatively recently, there’s a nascent culture of tipping in Myanmar. We’d encourage tipping for particularly good service; wages are low so they’ll certainly be appreciated. That being said, do only tip on a merit basis and don’t feel obliged to do it. Here are our guidelines for tipping in Myanmar.
Per group travelling (couples or families) –
Guides
For a good job, we’d suggest tipping $7-10 per day which equates to 10,000 kyat (the Burmese currency).
Drivers
For top service, we’d suggest giving 2/3rds of that given to the guide accompanying you, so $3-5 per day or 6,000 kyat. Of course this depends on how much he/she’s driving you around.
Hotels
You can tip porters and maids as you wish. An odd dollar here or there is fine, although the practice is only really common higher-end hotels or resorts.
Restaurants
You don’t really need to tip in restaurants. If you feel the service was particularly good, 10% of the bill is a recommended guideline.
If you wanted to talk to an expert about planning your India trip, do call 020 7924 7133 or email us with your questions here. To see an example of the kind of trip you could have, do take a look at our example holiday itineraries. They’re just a starting point, all our holidays are tailor-made so we can tweak all elements to suit your exact interests. Alternatively – download our free Myanmar travel guide for more insider tips and insights:
