Tipping hotel staff in Sri Lanka is generally not expected. If you stay at a hotel where someone carries your luggage to your room, it is customary to give a small tip of about $0.50 per suitcase or backpack. You can also leave a small daily tip of $0.50 to $1 for housekeeping staff, although this is not required.

Unlike in restaurants, tipping at street stalls is not common. However, you can round up the amount you need to pay. Street vendors in Sri Lanka are often small business owners, and any extra support is appreciated. Additionally, street food in Sri Lanka is inexpensive, so rounding up involves small amounts.

Tipping drivers in taxis and tuk-tuks is not common in Sri Lanka. However, they do appreciate it if you leave a small tip or round up the fare. Especially if a driver has given you helpful tips about the area, you might consider it. As everywhere, the advice in Sri Lanka is to agree on a fare before getting into the taxi or tuk-tuk.

Giving a small tip after a tour is not expected but is considered polite. Especially after a full day out, it’s customary to tip around 5 to 10%. In Sri Lanka, it may sometimes happen that a guide explicitly asks for a tip, but even if they don’t, it is greatly appreciated.

In Sri Lanka, tipping about 10% in restaurants is fairly common. In some places, especially in more upscale or tourist-oriented restaurants, service charges are added to the bill. In other places, tipping is not very customary, and rounding up the total amount is often considered a nice gesture.