We recommend rounding a Vietnam taxi fare up to the next 10,000 dong.
On a long ride, or when the driver loads heavy bags, we recommend 10,000–20,000 dong instead of the round-up.
Do you tip taxi drivers in Vietnam?
Yes, in a small amount of dong. We do not recommend a percentage of the fare. The tip is either the round-up to the next 10,000 dong, or 10,000–20,000 dong on a long ride or a ride with heavy bags. Use one of those, not both.
This page is taxis. Restaurants, hotels, and tours are not this tip. Start the rest of the region at Tipping in Asia.
How to round up a Vietnam taxi fare
Look at the fare. Pay the next multiple of 10,000 dong. The difference is the tip.
The fares below are examples for the math only. They are not Vietnamese taxi rates.
| Example fare | You pay if you only round up | Tip from the round-up |
|---|---|---|
| 87,000 dong | 90,000 dong | 3,000 dong |
| 120,000 dong | 120,000 dong | none, unless the ride is long |
| 146,000 dong | 150,000 dong | 4,000 dong |
| 230,000 dong, long ride | 230,000 dong plus the tip | 10,000–20,000 dong |
A 120,000 dong fare is already a multiple of 10,000, so a round-up adds nothing. If the ride was short and plain, we do not add a second tip. If the ride was long or the driver loaded heavy bags, hand 10,000–20,000 dong.
If that 230,000 dong ride was long, or the driver loaded heavy bags, hand 10,000–20,000 dong rather than rounding to 240,000.
How to pay a Vietnam taxi tip
Use dong. Hand the rounded total, or hand the fare and then the 10,000 or 20,000 dong note. If you pay by card and the driver cannot add a tip, pay the fare on the card and the tip in cash.
We do not recommend a tip when the driver is rude or takes a route you did not agree to.
Other Asia pages start at Tipping in Asia.