ASIA/THE PACIFIC
Tipping expectations vary widely throughout the region. "In India, they'll run after you and scream for money," says Sandy Ferguson, who runs Asia Desk, a Georgia travel agency, "but in Southeast Asia they don't," even though it's considered polite to tip. The only rule that applies universally? "Always give the bellman at least a buck a bag," he says

AUSTRALIA/ NEW ZEALAND
At Restaurants: Ten to 15 percent for the waiter.
At Hotels: One doller per bag (in either Australian or New Zealand dollars, depending on where you are); $10–$20 to the concierge for a favor; $1–$5 per day to the housekeeper, depending on how messy you are.
Guides and Drivers: Ten percent for cabdrivers; $50 per person per day for a private guide; $5–$10 for a bus-tour guide; $20 per day for a private driver.
Who Else?: Ten to 15 percent for beauty and spa treatments; tip Aboriginal and Maori guides exactly what you would others.
Dollars Accepted?: Reluctantly.
P.S. "Twenty years ago, you'd be fired if you accepted a tip," says Donna Thomas of New Zealand Travel. Since then, tipping has spread "because Americans forced it on people." Be discreet and prepared to have your tip refused, especially in New Zealand, where people are particularly reserved.

CAMBODIA
At Restaurants: About $1 per diner for the waiter.
At Hotels: One to two dollars per bag for the porter; service charge included for everything else at nice hotels.
Guides and Drivers: About $1 for taxis; $2 per hour for private drivers; $10–$20 per person per day for tour guides.
Dollars Accepted?: Yes; what's more, Sandy Ferguson of Asia Desk, a travel agency, discovered by chance that two-dollar bills open doors. Having gotten hold of a bundle of them in the U.S., Ferguson "almost caused a riot" in the airport when he paid that way. "Bring them to each hotel" for the porters, who consider them good luck—because of their rarity.
P.S. Ferguson says be prepared for unusually effusive thanks for a tip here. "Don't get embarrassed by that," he says.

CHINA
The law of the land, and the rule at many hotels, is no tipping whatsoever. Fine hotels in China add in a compulsory service fee of 10–20 percent, so nothing is expected or even technically allowed beyond that. "It is not in the hotel's interest to encourage this behavioral practice in one aspect of operations," says Gary Rubin of Imperial Tours. "It unbalances operations. However, it is almost impossible for them to stop it, and about five years ago they by and large gave in." Tip quietly and out of sight if you do—and not in front of employers. Also keep in mind that most tour guides get commissions from those tacky souvenir shops they take you through, so travel agents and hotel managers recommend against tipping them. Places where tipping is customary:
Massage Houses: About 10–30 yuan per massage—except in hotel spas, where the tip is included in the fee.
Luggage Porters: Ten yuan per bag is standard, though tourists generally leave twice that.

INDIA
At Restaurants: Fifteen percent to the waiter (or a few rupees at more modest establishments), though many posh spots now include a 10 percent service charge.
At Hotels: Fifty rupees (about $1)per bag for the porter; 250 rupees a night for the (low-paid) housekeeper.
Guides and Drivers: Fifty to 100 rupees a day for a car and driver. They usually expect lunch money for the day—about 40 rupees. Taxi and rickshaw drivers aren't accustomed to tips, but you can tell them to keep the change—up to 10 percent.
Who Else?: Don't be surprised if people ask for a tip for no apparent reason. The novelist and frequent India visitor Daphne Beal has even had people knock on her hotel room and ask, apropos of nothing, if "everything is all right." She doesn't tip them.
Dollars Accepted?: Yes, but not usually preferred.
P.S. Beal finds tipping, or "baksheesh" as it's known, "kind of agonizing in India." One problem is the difficulty of getting small bills. "I tend to hoard them for tipping purposes," she says.

INDONESIA
At Restaurants: A 10 percent tip is included. "The locals will also throw down any loose change," says Diane Embree of Michael's Travel Centre in Westlake Village, California. "I tell Americans they should do the same, up to maybe 15 percent total."
At Hotels: A 10 percent service charge is included, "but my understanding from talking to locals is that employees often don't see it," says Embree. Thus, it's okay but not required to hand out a dollar or two here and there to porters and cleaning staff. "It doesn't mean that much to us, but it means a lot to them."
Guides and Drivers: Guides should get $10 per person per day and drivers half that. Tip taxi drivers about 10 percent.
Dollars Accepted? Absolutely.
P.S. If you go rafting or take an elephant ride, a modest tip is greatly appreciated. Ditto for spa services—think 15 to 20 percent.

JAPAN
Though it's largely a non-tipping society, providers of certain services may appreciate a tip, but only in yen (estimate a little more than 100 yen to the dollar):
For a tour guide, offer 2,500–5,000 yen in an envelope.
A private driver will usually expect to have you buy his lunch, around 1,000 yen.
The room attendant at a ryokan—a traditional Japanese inn—usually gets 5,000 yen for one or two nights—always in an envelope.
To tip a cabdriver, round up for a very short ride—although he may refuse the extra.
Others who may decline your offer of a tip: concierges, porters, and waiters.

MALAYSIA
At Restaurants: A 10 percent tip is included, with locals rounding up the bill and leaving the change. You can do the same or leave 10 to 15 percent more if you're so inclined.
At Hotels: Tip the bellboys the standard $1 per bag, but there's no need to tip anyone else unless you really want to. "It won't make a difference," says Cindy Yam, owner of Solutions Travel Service in Torrance, California. "It's different from Thailand or China that way." Azda Hussein, of the Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board in Los Angeles, says he leaves $1 a day or so for the cleaning staff.
Guides and Drivers: Private guides and/or drivers should get $5 to $10 per person per day.
Dollars Accepted? Yes, but it's easier for locals to trade in ringgits, the local currency (with about 3.7 ringgits to a U.S. dollar).

PAKISTAN
At Restaurants: The gratuity is not included in the bill. "Tip 5 percent or more at your discretion, but it's not mandatory," says Shakur Alam of New York City's Shalimar Travel Services.
At Hotels: Tip the concierge about $2 for special favors, bellboys $1 a bag, and cleaning ladies $1 to $2 a day. Five-star hotels may have butlers, whom you may tip about $5 at the end of your stay.
Guides and Drivers: Tip the guide and driver each $5 per person per day. Tip taxi drivers about 5 percent.
Dollars Accepted? Yes. "It's always worthwhile to keep a few one-dollar bills on you," says Alam.
P.S. Pakistan is not really a tipping culture, Alam says. "Nobody will mind if you don't tip, but they'll be happy if you do."

PHILIPPINES
At Restaurants: Check the bill—a 10 percent service charge may be included, in which case you might leave an extra $1 or $2. If it's not included, leave a 10 percent tip or a bit more.
At Hotels: A 10 percent service charge is usually included, but you should still give porters 50 cents to $1 per bag. Tip cleaning staff only if you see them or if you leave it in a clearly marked envelope, says Filipino-American Alex Clemente of San Francisco's Rajah Tours. "Filipinos are not going to pick up money that's left behind," he says. If a concierge goes out of his way to secure you good tickets or reservations, tip him $4 to $5.
Guides and Drivers: Guides get $20 to $50 a day, says Clemente, and drivers about $4 to $5. Tip taxi drivers about 10 percent.
Dollars Accepted? Yes! "If you tip in dollars, they will love you forever," says Clemente, "because it's considered better-quality money" than the Filipino peso.
P.S. "If you get stopped by the police, stick 200 pesos (about $4) in your I.D.," says Clemente—and he is only half joking. Men in blue uniforms who often help you park your car should get 10 to 20 pesos—about 20 to 50 cents.

SINGAPORE
At Restaurants: As in Malaysia, a 10 percent tip is included. Feel free to leave a bit more, but it's not expected.
At Hotels: Tip the concierge up to $10 if he does you a special favor like securing hard-to-get restaurant reservations. Bellboys get the standard $1 a bag. Leave cleaning staff a few dollars a day in an envelope if you wish, but it's not expected.
Guides and Drivers: Guides taking you out for a full day should get $15 to $20 per person, which they will split with the driver, if there is one. With taxi drivers, just round up the fare and leave the change.
Dollars Accepted? Yes, but it's easier to spend Singaporean dollars. (One U.S. dollar is about 1.5 Singaporean dollars.) Hand cabbies U.S. dollars and "they'll be screaming at you for giving them a hassle," says Aik Wye Ng, a publicist for the Singaporean Tourist Board.

SOUTH KOREA
There's really no tipping culture in South Korea, says Katie Kin, a salesperson for the Korean American Travel Bureau in New York City, and it's not even expected of tourists. The exceptions include excursion guides, who get the standard $10 per person per day, and drivers, who get half that. Hotel porters should get the usual $1 per bag, says travel agent Cindy Yam. In other situations, "if you really love the service and you want to do something extra," you might tip, says Kin. Otherwise, you're off the hook.

TAIWAN
At Restaurants: Check the bill; about half the restaurants include a 10 percent service fee. If yours doesn't, leave 10 to 15 percent in a top restaurant and 10 percent in a regular one, says Judy Swen, owner of San Francisco's Lassen Tours, which books trips to Taiwan.
At Hotels: You may tip the concierge $20 or so when you check in or out of the hotel, cleaning staff $2 per day (left in the room), porters $1 a bag, and doormen $1 to $2 if they call a cab.
Guides and Drivers: Tip 10 percent of their fee.
Dollars Accepted? In Taipei, yes; outside the cities, tip in the local currency.
P.S. "They don't have tipping in the culture, but if you tip people, they'll be really happy," says Swen.

THAILAND
At Restaurants: About $1 per diner for the waiter.
At Hotels: About $1–$2 per bag for the porter; no tip necessary for the housekeeper or the concierge (service charges are included
At Hotels: of two stars or above).
Guides and Drivers: About $1 for taxis; $2 per hour for private drivers; $10–$20 per person per day for tour guides (who also tip tour drivers, so don't worry about that).
Who Else?: If you ever find yourself at a local masseuse, a three-dollar tip at the end of the massage is about right.
Dollars Accepted?: Yes, preferably two-dollar bills (see Cambodia).
P.S. A common feature in Thailand is the ubiquitous bathroom attendant. Some of them might even throw a towel over a man's shoulders while he's at the urinal. Fifty cents, or about 20 baht, should do it there. It's also common to get a hot towel and drink upon checking into a nice hotel, but no tip is necessary, as the service is included.

VIETNAM
At Restaurants: Scan the bill first: The gratuity usually isn't included, in which case you should leave about 10 percent, preferably in cash, and a bit more if you tip on a credit card. If the gratuity is included, throw a few more bills in on top.
At Hotels: Give the concierge about $20 if he does you a favor (like securing special reservations outside the hotel). Cleaning staff get about $2 a day, left at the end of your stay on the nightstand, where it's easily visible. You don't need to tip doormen.
Guides and Drivers: Guides get $10 per person per day and drivers half that, given at your last encounter if you venture out more than one day. You don't need to tip taxi drivers, but you can round up the fare (so if the fare is 45,000 dong, leave a 50,000-dong bill). Work out the fare in advance with drivers of cyclos, or bicycle carriages, which are common and usually charge about $10 per hour. It's okay to add on a few dollars' tip.
Dollars Accepted? Yes.
P.S. Tip a massage therapist in a fancy hotel $5 to $10. If you go to a days-long spa—the kind "where they make you drink green tea till it's coming out your ears," says Ferguson—they'll tell you the tipping policy in advance. "Bring all the $2 bills you can," advises Ferguson, "and use them to tip porters. The $2 bill is rare in Vietnam and is considered lucky."

How to NOT Tip in the South Pacific
"Bali Ha'i may call you, any night, any day," as the song goes—but that doesn't mean that folks there or in any other part of the South Pacific, including cities on the "big islands" of Australia and New Zealand, are calling for your Western-style tips. "One of the real selling points about going to these places is that you don't have to tip, says Kleon Howe of The Art of Travel, in San Diego, which books trips across the region. It's just not part of the indigenous cultures here. "For the island groups, the first time you arrive you are an honored guest, and people would never in a million years suggest that you have to pay for service," continues Howe. "The second time, you are family, and they would never ask a family member to tip." Not that those old island ways aren't increasingly coming up against Western notions: Many resorts now have so-called Christmas-fund jars up front where you can indulge your American tipping itch by stuffing in a few dollars daily (the money is divvied up among the staff).

There are other subtle exceptions to the no-tipping norms. "If you go into a restaurant that you think is three-star and they blow you away with service and food, tip as high as 20 percent," suggests Matt Knowles of Sea Escape Travel in Folsom, California. In many resort restaurants, a 10 percent tip may be included, and you don't have to add to it. Really. In hotels, you can try to give porters a few dollars for carrying your bags, but according to Knowles, "they are not going to be standing there with their hand out." Ditto the cleaning staff: If you tip a few dollars, do it face-to-face or leave it with the front desk in an envelope at trip's end, because otherwise they won't take it. As for concierges, if they do something really special for you at a five- or six-star resort (such as Kangaroo Island's Southern Ocean Lodge or Fiji's Vatulele Island), tip accordingly. Some top resorts also have butlers, whom you should tip $5 to $10 a day, depending on what they do for you.

Other instances where you might tip up to 15 percent are after top-notch spa treatments, during winery visits where staff go out of their way to welcome you beyond the simple pour, and on group tours with a really great guide and scuba outings helmed by a virtuoso dive master. Always show your appreciation in the local currency, not in U.S. dollars (they're difficult for locals to trade).

But most of all, try to reconcile your brawny American sense of tipping with native ideas of what's proper. Howe puts it all in perspective: "Let's say you decide to do a private picnic on one of the little atolls and somebody takes you out there in a boat and comes back for you later. It would be acceptable to give him a 10 percent tip but not expected." Paradise, then, in more ways than one.