This post will be continually updated with more countries. Click on the link for country/region to get more details. The numbers below are for a family of 3 and exclude shopping which will vary based on the item(s) purchased.
| Country/Region | Need Cash? | How much? (in USD) |
|---|---|---|
| China (Mainland) | No | Zero |
| Hong Kong | No | Zero |
| Japan | Yes | upcoming post |
| Malaysia | Yes | $5/day or $20/week |
| South Korea | Yes | $25/week |
| Thailand | Yes | upcoming post |
| Vietnam | Yes | $20 to $40/day |
The table above also excludes hotel tips. Why? Tips are discretionary, and the APAC hotels I write about include service charge. I personally carry my own bags to my room and I don't usually leave money for the housekeeper unless I have spare change as I expect service charge to cover housekeeping.
Here is a table of hotels in Asia that include Service Charge.
| Country/Region | Service Charge |
|---|---|
| Bhutan | 10% |
| China (Mainland) | 10-15% |
| Hong Kong | 10% |
| India | 5-10% |
| Indonesia (Bali) | 10% |
| Japan | 10% |
| Malaysia | 8% |
| Maldives | 10% |
| Philippines | 10% |
| Singapore | 10% |
| South Korea | 10% |
| Thailand | 10% |
| Vietnam | 5% |
Discussion