Tipping in Indonesia
Tipping expectedService Breakdown
Notes by Service
Check for 21% combined tax/service charge; additional tip for exceptional service.
Rp 20,000–50,000 per night for housekeeping.
Round up app fares; a few thousand rupiah for ojeks.
Rp 30,000–100,000 for massage therapists.
10% of tab.
Rp 20,000–50,000 is polite.
$5–10 USD per person per day for guides; higher for liveaboard dive crew.
Rp 5,000–15,000 is appreciated.
About Tipping in Indonesia
Overview
Tipping is appreciated throughout Indonesia and expected in tourist-facing contexts across Yogyakarta, Jakarta, Lombok, the Gili Islands, Flores, and beyond. Most tourist restaurants add a combined tax and service charge of around 21%; check before adding more. Tipping culture in rural Sulawesi or Papua is very different from busy resort areas.
When to Tip
Check for service charge on restaurant bills before tipping. Tip hotel housekeeping and porters, taxi and ojek (motorcycle taxi) drivers, spa therapists, and tour guides for Borobudur, Komodo Island, and Bromo volcano excursions. For diving liveaboards in the Banda Sea and Raja Ampat, tip boat crew and dive masters at the end of the expedition.
How to Tip
Indonesian rupiah in small denominations is the practical tipping currency; Rp 10,000–50,000 (roughly $0.65–$3 USD) covers most everyday tips. USD is accepted at major tourist venues. For liveaboard diving, tip the crew collectively and the dive master personally — $50–100 USD per week per guest is a rough guide for premium operations.
Cultural Context
Indonesia's archipelago spans over 17,000 islands and the cultural norms around tipping vary dramatically. In traditional communities in Toraja (Sulawesi), Komodo National Park, and the Raja Ampat islands, guides often carry the weight of ecological stewardship alongside their tour duties. Tipping in these contexts acknowledges a responsibility that goes well beyond standard hospitality service.