Download a PDF version of the Tipping Guide Part 2.

So you just had a five-star meal in Qatar. Or went scuba diving in beautiful Bohol in the Philippines. Well, lucky you! But how do you express your appreciation for the service you received? Are you in a country where tipping is customary and required? Appreciated but not expected? Or virtually unheard-of? The truth is, tipping rules vary by country, by region, and by scenario. A modest rounding up of the check may be fine in some places and insufficient in others. A few small bills left on a night table might be gladly picked up by housecleaning staff in one hotel and scrupulously shunned elsewhere. Such uncertainties can throw an uneasy shadow over even the most exhilarating jaunt in a new land. That's why we've spelled out guidelines for the most common tipping situations in more than 25 countries, from Switzerland to Syria to Singapore. Read on.

THE MIDDLE EAST
The tipping culture is often complex and subtle in this part of the world. "It's known for being very friendly and hospitable, with people providing too much service," says Rita Zawaideh, the Jordanian-born owner of Seattle's Caravan-Serai Tours, which plans trips to the region. In return, "people's hands are out a little bit more." While you may give more often in these parts, it's usually in small amounts—and it's deeply appreciated.

DUBAI
Dubai's government mandates adding a 10 percent service charge to all bills at hotels, restaurants, and bars. (Tips are usually divided equally among staff but sometimes go directly to the people who have helped you.) Feel free to top it off with a few dirhams (each is worth about a quarter). Parking valets and porters are the exception—they usually get 10 dirhams. Bag packers in markets might appreciate a few coins; cabdrivers don't expect anything, but rounding up to the 5-dirham note is good practice.

EGYPT
At Restaurants: The tip is included in the bill; add 5–10 percent above that.
At Hotels: One to two dollars a day for the housekeeper (pay throughout your stay to ensure great cleaning); $1 per bag for the porter; concierges are powerful and very helpful, so $10–$20 at the beginning of your stay will go far.
Guides and Drivers: Cabdrivers, 10–15 percent; guides (who almost never drive you), $20 per person per day; drivers a little less.
Dollars Accepted?: Everything is accepted, and often preferable to local currency.
P.S. Guides are often well-trained Egyptologists whose function is not only to educate but also to divert the many locals who will have their hands out for baksheesh, whether they've earned it or not. James Berkeley, president of Destinations and Adventures, which arranges trips to Egypt and the Middle East, likes to tell "the biggest joke in tourism": A camel driver tells you, "No charge to get on my camel—but five-dollar tip." You pay, you lumber up onto the camel. Then he says, "Twenty-dollar tip to get off."

IRAN
Unlike Europeans, Americans can't travel independently in Iran; they must be with a government-approved tour, which means that most service charges are included and tipping isn't necessary. If restaurant service is really good, leave a few more dollars. In hotels, if you really want to express appreciation, says Zawaideh, give a small gift from the United States (a T-shirt or hat bearing the name of an American city or sports team). In a closed country like Iran, she says, "they love that stuff—it means a lot more." But if you do tip, dollars are accepted.

ISRAEL
At Restaurants: As in European countries, the tip is routinely included in the bill; add a shekel per customer (they're about three to the dollar).
At Hotels: A shekel or two for the concierge for a small favor. Six shekels per bag for porters; 3–6 shekels per day for housekeepers.
Guides and Drivers: Ten to 15 percent for taxis; 90–120 shekels per person per day for tour guides, 120–150 shekels for driver-guides.
Dollars Accepted?: No. Be prepared to give shekels.
P.S. "Nobody's ever gone to Israel for good service," says James Berkeley, who calls the taxi drivers "the grumpiest in the world." So adjust your idea of what's tip-worthy accordingly.

JORDAN
At Restaurants: Service is almost always included in the bill; add 5–10 percent for the waiter.
At Hotels: One dinar ($1.50) per bag for the porter, same per night for the housekeeper—or a bit more, as they tend to be impoverished Palestinians. Tip the concierge—in advance—only if you expect something very special to be done, like access to rare tickets.
Guides and Drivers: Ten to 15 percent for taxis; $30 per person per day for tour guides; private driver, $30 per day total.
Anyone Else?: Bedouins in Petra—a tribe called Nabateans—control most tourism to the ancient city—part of a deal worked out with the king when the city was made tourist-friendly. They will sometimes keep asking for tips—even after you've already paid. It's okay to decline firmly.
Dollars Accepted?: Yes, and euros, too.
P.S. Berkeley says to ask whoever arranged your guides—local or government-sanctioned—whether the tip has been prepaid. If so, refuse to pay more.

LEBANON
At Restaurants: Tip 10 percent of the bill. In a nice restaurant, you might want to discreetly give the maître d' $25 up front to ensure top service, especially if you're in a group. If you've enjoyed the musicians, give them $5 or so.
At Hotels: Tips are included if on group tours; otherwise, it's $2 a bag for porters, $2 for doormen who hail a cab or give directions, a few bucks a day for maids. Giving $20 to $25 to the concierge up front will secure you good service throughout your stay.
Guides and Drivers: If you're not in a prepaid group, tip guides about $10 per person per day, drivers $5 per person per day.
Dollars Accepted? Yes, and euros.
P.S. If you visit churches in Lebanon, leave something in the offering box at the entrance. Tip bartenders as you would in the States. And if you ski, tip the instructor $20.

QATAR
At Restaurants: Leave 15 to 20 percent.
At Hotels: Follow the standard for hotels in big American cities: $2 to $3 for doormen when they call a cab, $2 to $5 a day for housekeepers, and $2 a bag for porters.
Guides and Drivers: Tip $10 per person per day for drivers, $5 per person per day for guides.
Dollars Accepted? Yes.

SAUDI ARABIA
At Restaurants: Tips aren't included, so leave 10 to 15 percent of the bill. And, says Zawaideh, asking for doggie bags is a no-no in the Middle East; uneaten food is taken home by kitchen staff or given to the homeless.
At Hotels: To ensure good service throughout a stay, says Zawaideh, "I give the concierge $20 to $25 when I get there so he remembers who I am." Give porters $1 to $2 per bag and leave about $2 a day in your room for housekeepers.
Guides and Drivers: Give guides about $10 per person per day if you're going out alone or in a very small group, about $7 per person per day in a large group. Give drivers $5 per person per day; if they have assistants who keep the car clean and get water, give them $2 per person per day.
Dollars Accepted? Yes.
P.S. If you visit a mosque, leave $1 for the person who hands out robes for women to wear and 50 cents to $1 for the person who minds your shoes, which you respectfully doff at the door. "Don't make it obvious that you're tipping someone," advises Zawaideh. "Put the tip in an envelope for guides and drivers, palm it off with a handshake and a thank-you to the concierge, and slip it in the jacket pocket of the maître d' to get a good table." And keep in mind that most workers here are foreigners from, say, India or the Philippines. They depend upon your tips to support their families.

SYRIA
At Restaurants: Leave about 10 percent of the bill.
At Hotels: Same guidelines as in Lebanon (unless you're on a group tour).
Guides and Drivers: Same guidelines as in Lebanon.
Dollars Accepted? Yes.
P.S. If you visit a mosque, follow the same tipping rules as you would in Saudi Arabia.

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
At Restaurants: U.S. rules apply; tip 15 to 20 percent. In a so-called seven-star restaurant, which you'll find here, tip the maître d' $50 to $100 to ensure superior service (you're going to be paying $200 per person for the meal, anyway).
At Hotels: Tip the concierge $30 to $35 every time you have a major request, like a special restaurant reservation. Tip porters $2 per bag, doormen $2 to $3 to hail cabs, and maids $3 a day.
Guides and Drivers: Guides get $10 to $20 per person per day, drivers $5 per person per day.
Dollars Accepted? Yes.
P.S. Unlike elsewhere in the region, don't tip bathroom attendants in the United Arab Emirates.

YEMEN
At Restaurants: Tip 10 percent in top restaurants; in folksier places, a couple of bucks will suffice.
At Hotels: Leave cleaning staff about $2 per day. Concierges aren't really common here; give a few dollars to whoever stores your luggage after you check out.
Guides and Drivers: If you leave Sanaa, the capital of Yemen, you'll likely go out in a jeep with a convoy of military guards. "You might have five or six young people with their AK-47s," says Zawaideh. Give $20 to $25 to the main guard, and he'll distribute it among the others. And make sure you arrange to go to different parts of the country with representatives from each area's ruling tribe. You'll likely visit the private homes of tribe or village leaders. Bring little gifts, such as crayons and coloring books for the children. Failing that, you can give money to the man of the house—never to the woman (that's considered improper)—and say that it's for the children, so as not to offend.
Dollars Accepted? Yes, as are euros.

AFRICA
It helps, in some of the world's least developed areas, not just to be generous but to be thoughtful. Your porter in Johannesburg may be well versed in the way of tourists, but that doesn't mean he can easily exchange a ratty five-dollar bill.

MOROCCO
At Restaurants: Ten percent is generous, but check to make sure the service isn't included in the bill.
At Hotels: Two dollars per bag to the porter; $10 to the concierge at the beginning of your stay, to guarantee good service; $5 per night to the housekeeper, preferably paid day by day.
Guides and Drivers: For cab-drivers, round up to the next 10-dirham note; private drivers and guides should both get around $15 per day.
Dollars Accepted?: Yes.
P.S. In Morocco, "tipping is best done quietly, perhaps off to the side," suggests Joel Zack of Heritage Tours, which specializes in travel to Morocco. He recommends the furtive handshake-with-cash-in-palm move, accompanied by a smile and a thank-you.

SOUTH AFRICA
At Restaurants: Ten to 15 percent to the waiter.
At Hotels: A dollar per bag to the porter and per night to the housekeeper; $3–$5 to the concierge.
Guides and Drivers: : Taxi drivers, 10 percent; private drivers, 10 percent of total fare; tour guides, $10 per person per day.
What Else?: South African authorities employ "car guards" and airport porters semi-officially to cut down on unemployment; most don't get salaries and rely on tips. When parking a car, you might be approached by a guard. If he shows identification, he's probably the real deal. Pay him 15–20 rand when you return; pay an airport porter 20–30 rand, depending on luggage weight and distance traveled.
Dollars Accepted?: Yes, but not for car guards and airport porters, who'd have trouble changing them.