As a Brit, I’m not accustomed to tipping culture so I always spend time researching how much to tip before I travel anywhere!
Now that I’ve visited Bora Bora, I’d love to share with you everything I learned about their tipping culture including how much to tip.
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Tipping in Bora Bora
The first thing to know is that tipping isn’t customary in Bora Bora so you won’t ever be expected to leave a tip.
I know this kinda feels illegal if you’re from the US but I promise you that nobody in Bora Bora is expecting a tip. It’s just not that much of a custom over there.
Of course, if you happen to receive fantastic service and want to leave a tip then the staff would be very appreciative of the tip.
As a general rule, you should only leave a tip if you feel like the staff have gone above and beyond to make your meal or tour super memorable.
When I was in Bora Bora, I followed this rule and I gave out some tips where I felt it was necessary.
As an example, the guide on my snorkeling tour was absolutely incredible. He made the whole day super fun and knew a lot about Bora Bora and the marine life so I gave him a tip.
I didn’t tip often in restaurants, mainly just because they were already so expensive and I noticed a 20% service charge had already been added on most of my bills.
Here’s some more detailed information on different services and if you should tip them in Bora Bora…
Restaurants
It is not customary to tip in restaurants in Bora Bora so don’t feel like you need to leave a tip.
It’s worth noting that most restaurants in Bora Bora include a 20% service fee in their listed prices. These charges are normally distributed amongst the staff.
For this reason, most people don’t leave tips in restaurants (as it’s already been factored in).
Of course, if you really want to, you can leave a tip but you definitely don’t need to.
Service staff receive full salaries in Bora Bora so are not dependent on tips like American workers.
I actually wrote an entire guide on food & restaurant prices in Bora Bora if you want an idea of how much you’ll spend.
Hotel Staff
It is also not customary to tip hotel staff in Bora Bora.
Hotel staff, including porters, cleaners etc, are also paid a full salary so are not dependent on tips but, of course, I’m sure they’d appreciate it.
If you really think that someone’s service was outstanding then a tip would be a fantastic gesture but staff will never expect or require a tip.
Additionally, some hotels do include a service charge on your final bill so there would be no need to tip.
Taxi Drivers
You don’t need to tip taxi drivers in Bora Bora.
It’s definitely not required but is always a welcome gesture.
💡Tip: Rounding your fare up to the nearest dollar is a great gesture.
Tour Guides
You don’t have to tip your tour guide but feel free to give them one if they went above and beyond.
Tour guides are also given full salaries in Bora Bora so don’t depend on tips to make ends meet.
You’re not required to give them a tip but if you found them particularly informative, it would be nice to give them a tip.
As I said, I did tip one of my tour guides because he was particularly great.
How Much to Tip in Bora Bora
If you do decide to leave a tip in Bora Bora, there is no standard amount that you should tip.
Similar to Europe, you can just tip whatever you feel is deserved based on the service you have received.
You would normally only leave a tip in Bora Bora if the service received was beyond expectations and truly outstanding.
And that’s it!
Thanks for reading this post all about Bora Bora tipping and how much to tip in Bora Bora.
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