a447 yeah. I'm not sure tipping is the done thing in Vietnam, though it certainly is in Cambodia and Thailand.
I've read that if you want to tip somebody, you should present them with a small token gift. I've tried that, once with a tailor, and once with a guitar maker. In both cases they were absolutely delighted, so I think that's probably true.
In retrospect, maybe what I should have done, was give the guy my deodorant and the large bottle of liquid soap I had left over at the end of my trip. I wasn't going to be able to take them on the plane.
searcher (May 3rd, 2018)
In the past I have always found that the boy I just spent my last night of my trip with is only too happy to volunteer to remove the various bottles of aftershave, mouthwash, de-oderants, soaps, razors, unopened socks - and anything else I can't really be bothered packing
I don't know, either. Bob's our resident expert on Vietnam ; I'm sure he'd know.
A Vietnamese girl who I met on a Halong Bay cruise - she was with her English boyfriend - told me it was not customary to tip.
I give tips to hotel staff, regardless. They are underpaid and overworked, imho. And under-appreciated, I think. A tip at the beginning of the stay ensures excellent service, which in turn earns them another tip when I leave.
Winners all around!
In Thailand I tend to stay at the same hotels and kind of know the staff, so I tip them at the end of the trip.