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You must agree with me that every travel experience brings some responsibilities. Being a responsible traveler is always good when you are exploring a different country, this is always the safest. The same goes for the beautiful and culturally-rich city of Taipei in Taiwan. While vacationing in this country, you have to make sure that you are familiar with the country’s customs, traditions, and etiquette. So is tipping in Taipei expected? The people of Taiwan respect the dedication and hard work of people. Hence, Taiwan’s tipping etiquette is quite common in the country. However, it is not generally expected, yet it is appreciated. As a tourist, it is important you should be aware of how much to tip and when to tip in order to ensure a perfect Taiwan itinerary for your trip. Therefore this post is all about tips on tipping in Taipei at various places.
Please Note:
- The currency of Taiwan is the New Taiwan Dollar which is symboled as NT$. However, it is also denoted as TWD.
- Taiwan’s money is often referred to as ‘yuan’. Notes in Taiwan are in amounts 100, 500 and 1000. Whereas, the coins are in 1, 5, 10, and 50.
Table of Contents
Tipping at Hotels in Taipei
Tipping in hotels in Taipei is neither necessary nor expected. However, if you are still considering tipping a bellman or hotel porter, then consider at least a tip of $1 per bag. You can also tip more at high-end hotels. You can skip tipping housekeepers as they are not expected to get a tip. But again, if you want, you can offer a tip. Small gifts are also appreciated in the culture of Taiwan. So, you can consider giving a small gift to your housekeeper at the end of your trip/stay. If you are in search of a hotel for your trip we normally stay in Airbnb due to the more affordable rates but Booking.com also has some incredible hotels you can see below:
Booking.com
Tipping Tour Guide in Taipei
Not every traveler prefers to visit a destination on their own. There could be a possibility that some Taiwan backpackers hire a guide for a particular attraction. If you are one of those, then you should know about the tipping culture for guides. After a long tour, it is good to appreciate the effort of your guide by giving him a tip – 7% of the cost of your would be enough. If your tour guide is not the same person as your driver, then consider giving a little tip to the driver also, somewhere 5% of the tour cost would be enough. However, if you’re not pleased with the services of your or the driver, then it is not necessary to tip that much or at all.
Tipping at Restaurants in Taipei
Indeed, Taipei offers some great and delectable delicacies, Wanhua foods or even Ximending food being some of the top places to visit. If you prefer to eat at any restaurant in Taipei, do not be surprised to see an added 10-15% amount in your bill. This is the service charge that restaurants in Taipei charge. Since you are already paying a service charge, there is no need to give any tip. However, if you are not sure about whether or not the charges are added to your bill, you can ask them directly. If there are no charges added, then you can give a tip of 10% of your bill. I would recommend you to offer tip only if the services of the restaurant is excellent with the quality of food.
Tipping in Spas in Taipei
Spas are very common in Taiwan. The city of Taipei is known to have some of the best spa centers in the country. If you have included visiting any of spa centers on your Taipei itinerary, then you should know about tipping in spas in Taipei. If you are looking to offer a tip to your therapist, then consider giving a 10% tip on your total bill. But only if you feel that the services offered by them were exceptional. However, if the services are not pleasing enough, then there is no need to give any tips. Giving them an honest review is also a good way to tell them where they are lacking or excelling.
Tipping Taxi Drivers in Taipei
In any new place, giving a tip to taxi drivers are quite common. However, in Taipei, tipping taxi drivers is not that common. Taxi drivers don’t expect any tip from their passengers. However, if you want you can give a small tip to your taxi driver you can. But again, do it only the journey was hassle-free and the driving skills of the driver were good. Otherwise, there is no need to pay any tip to the driver. If you have hired a taxi to explore Taipei at night like the markets then it would be good to give some extra money to the driver even if his service was okay.
Tipping Hairdresser or Beautician
Hairdresser or Beautician in Taiwan masters their art and know-how to satisfy their customers. Hence, it is important to know how much you should tip them for their great work. You can pay a tip of 10% of your total bill to hairdresser or beautician in Taipei. But, make sure you tip them only when you are satisfied with their work. If not, then avoid giving any tip to them. Customer satisfaction is the factor that defines whether or not to offer any tip to hairdressers or beauticians in Taipei.
WHAT TO EXPECT IN TAIPEI
Is Dollar Accepted as a Tip in Taipei?
Yes, dollars as tips are accepted in Taipei, but only at a few places. Dollars are most accepted in the main city or at any high-end restaurant or hotel. At all the other places, it is recommended that you give them a tip in local currency.
It is important to know that if you choose to give a tip to all the above-mentioned places/professionals, the budget for your Taiwan trip will also be affected. Thus, if you okay giving tip at a few or all the places in the city of Taipei, consider keeping some extra money. You can also choose to keep your budget a little higher than expected in that case. This would save you from falling in any financial crisis while vacationing at a different destination like Taipei. However, if you have a restricted budget, consider not to give any tips. Trust me, it won’t offend any professional person in Taipei.
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