How much do you tip the masseuse

Pandagao wrote:

I feel confused about how much should I tip the massage girl, I tip 50.000vnd for 1 hour foot massage, and 100.000vnd for 1 hour body massage.The salon Quynh in Q2 only charges 90.000vnd/hour for foot massage and 70.000/hour body massage. lots of foreigners in Q2 go there for massage and hair cut. How much do you tip them? I really like the cheap price there, but seems the masseuse who did my body massage even didn't give me a smile when i hand the money to her....

I remember being at this place in Q1, they handed me a sheet of paper for me to check if it was poor, fair, good, excellent with recommended tip.  To me this was just a scam for foriegner to part with his money.

Back to your question, I usually tip 50% if it was acceptable massage. In Da Nang I went to this one place, body massage was 80,000 and I tip 200,000 because it was awesome. I think your 50,000 to 100,000 is good. Just remember some people never smile...

Well for men the answer pivots on whether or not the massage has a "happy ending"

I wish you enjoy your "happy ending " massage !

ChrisFox wrote:

Well for men the answer pivots on whether or not the massage has a "happy ending"

No not for all of us. I get a massage because I want a massage. I prefer places that do not offer the happy ending.

Pandagao wrote:

I feel confused about how much should I tip the massage girl, I tip 50.000vnd for 1 hour foot massage, and 100.000vnd for 1 hour body massage.The salon Quynh in Q2 only charges 90.000vnd/hour for foot massage and 70.000/hour body massage. lots of foreigners in Q2 go there for massage and hair cut. How much do you tip them? I really like the cheap price there, but seems the masseuse who did my body massage even didn't give me a smile when i hand the money to her....

Normally, I tip from VND 50,000 up to VND 200,000 depending on (i) the work they did; and (ii) the services and price of the massage store. In some cases where the services charges and VAT included in the price, I would not tip or only VND 50,000 max.

ancientpathos wrote:

ChrisFox wrote:

Well for men the answer pivots on whether or not the massage has a "happy ending"

No not for all of us. I get a massage because I want a massage. I prefer places that do not offer the happy ending.

I, too, want a good massage when I go to a massage parlour. I always tell them to spend more time on my neck and shoulder. Yes, they almost always offer the happy ending service. But you can always say no.

As for tipping, I find  VND 200,000 (2 green bills) seem to bring a smile to their faces. And that's a happy ending.

Vietnam also something cheaper, 100k is too cheap for massage 1 times

Hi all,

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Expat-blog team.

My GF (who is VNese) tells me we tip 20,000. for a full VNese style body massage.

Wow u guys are so cheap.
I usually tip 500k-1mill
And thats beacause i know what a shitty job they have to go through every day.
And besides im always drunk when i hit those massageplaces
So i aint thinking straight either.

hotpot wrote:

Wow u guys are so cheap.
I usually tip 500k-1mill
And thats beacause i know what a shitty job they have to go through every day.
And besides im always drunk when i hit those massageplaces
So i aint thinking straight either.

Wow, care to share? What was you drinking, because I never even got a buzz from anything I drank over in Vietnam. Oh back to tipping, here in the states I give my Korean masseuse $25 tip for $75 one hour deep tissue massage. My mom was in the lobby waiting for me. I started moaning something crazy and my mom comes rushing into the room...Lan...Lan...are you o.k?  I said,"Yeah, ma"...She got some real Kung Fu hands! I don't know if Vietnamese can give real good massages like the Korean or Chinese, but I guess I will give it a try when I return.

I kind of thought the same thing. But she says here they do not expect to get tips and she rarely gives a tip to anyone. She never tips a waiter/ waitress. I say in Rome do as the Romans do.

Mia,
  I tell you I've had many a massage, but the ones here hurt. DEEP , they go hurting deep. They actually stand on your back. And the foot massage, I'm grimacing in pain or close to it the entire time. I told her to book me a Thai massage next time.

so difficult to decide how much to give them getting their smile. I think 50k to 100K that is Ok for massage:)

Pandagao wrote:

I feel confused about how much should I tip the massage girl, I tip 50.000vnd for 1 hour foot massage, and 100.000vnd for 1 hour body massage.The salon Quynh in Q2 only charges 90.000vnd/hour for foot massage and 70.000/hour body massage. lots of foreigners in Q2 go there for massage and hair cut. How much do you tip them? I really like the cheap price there, but seems the masseuse who did my body massage even didn't give me a smile when i hand the money to her....

for me..it depends on which kind of shop.

if for those hair saloon in district 1 where the girls wear sexy...200k is not gd enough..

i usually go to 137 Ham Nghi..the place gives good massage..and i always tip 100k.

tips 50k and they seems unhappy...dont tips it next time then..tipping is not compulsory

I was talking to my local friends about the wages the masseur/masseuse make. I am told they don't get paid by the massage parlours, they make their money from tips. If this is the case, 50k to 100k is kind of low for an hour of manual work. I hate to admit it, but the drunk hotpot is right on for tipping.

Five times 100K VND is kind of cheap? What does a doctor make in VN.
I would think $200 USD a week is darn good here in VN. Seems odd they would only work for tips since locals rarely tip.

TC0088 wrote:

I was talking to my local friends about the wages the masseur/masseuse make. I am told they don't get paid by the massage parlours, they make their money from tips. If this is the case, 50k to 100k is kind of low for an hour of manual work. I hate to admit it, but the drunk hotpot is right on for tipping.

yes...the masseur does not has a basic,but tipping 500k for a massage???..and a masseur has a avearge of 2-3 customers everyday...first of all...do u know how much a graduate earns in Vietnam?

i have been staying in HCMC for almost 10 years..and i have been to almost all the different types of massage places.people usually tips 100k for a massage in normal shop and 200k in the hotel..and many veterans will know that theres not even a need to tips 500k for a massage with happy ending.

I rarely see locals in these massage parlours.

The one I went to I was the only non-local out of 5 that were there.

Andy@SH wrote:

TC0088 wrote:

I was talking to my local friends about the wages the masseur/masseuse make. I am told they don't get paid by the massage parlours, they make their money from tips. If this is the case, 50k to 100k is kind of low for an hour of manual work. I hate to admit it, but the drunk hotpot is right on for tipping.

yes...the masseur does not has a basic,but tipping 500k for a massage???..and a masseur has a avearge of 2-3 customers everyday...first of all...do u know how much a graduate earns in Vietnam?

i have been staying in HCMC for almost 10 years..and i have been to almost all the different types of massage places.people usually tips 100k for a massage in normal shop and 200k in the hotel..and many veterans will know that theres not even a need to tips 500k for a massage with happy ending.

My thinking is that the masseur/masseuse give you the option how much to give. It is not like they are demanding a certain amount of tip. And this I respect and feel good giving it. Take the restaurant tipping practice, before it was depending on how well the service was. Now many restaurants just tag a 15% service charge on the total of the bill (in Canada). I like to express my appreciation for a good service (thus making the industry better) and remind establishments that they get sh*t if they are not doing their job.

Anyway, to each his own. I do it because I value hard work.

MIA2013 wrote:

I don't know if Vietnamese can give real good massages like the Korean or Chinese, but I guess I will give it a try when I return.

I will take you out for some nice massage (at least to me) if you speak Brazilian-Portugaise to me in person

Mia,
  They nearly killed me. I've never had a massage that was painful. I usually fall asleep, not with this massage.My word I didn't think my toes would make it through the foot massage. But your tuff you can take it.

aibiet150204 wrote:

MIA2013 wrote:

I don't know if Vietnamese can give real good massages like the Korean or Chinese, but I guess I will give it a try when I return.

I will take you out for some nice massage (at least to me) if you speak Brazilian-Portugaise to me in person

Cool...

bta87 wrote:

Mia,
  They nearly killed me. I've never had a massage that was painful. I usually fall asleep, not with this massage.My word I didn't think my toes would make it through the foot massage. But your tuff you can take it.

Yeah, they are painful, especially when they mount you and put all their hands, arms, and shoulders to it.

you tip 500k - 1mil only if you are in a decent KTV / Nightclub.. not a massage parlor..

I'm not into the massage thing but I've gone a few times and most of the places we've gone to the masseuses are blind. 

Sometimes there is a distinct "gay bathhouse" feel to it but the smiles are from other customers hanging around, not from the workers.  They can look all they want but I didn't do that stuff in the USA and I'm not about to do it here,

Working girls, bar girls, massage girls(happy ending) are here because of the tourists. If tourists did not go to these places expecting certain services(sex), then I doubt there would be the social problems associated with prostitution.  Everyone has a different value system, sense of right and wrong. Placing our value system above theirs is wrong. I believe these woman and men need to be treated the same level of respect we would want our mother, sons, and daughters to have. Just my 10,000 dong worth

Ah ha, an interesting thread !
I don't advice how much should you tip.
I just tell you how much Vnese guys in HCM often do.
Rule 1 : the tip = ticket price.
Rule 2 : Tip for foot massage = 50% body massage

For example, if ticket about 150k vnd, and if i feel bad, 100k for tipping. If service is ok, 150k tip, and if it's good, 200k tip. For excellent feelings, 300k tipping is acceptable.
Remember that massage is a luxury service, not for everyone.

About the masseuse life ? Star working at 10 am to 10 pm, have a chance of meeting 3 - 5 guests, earn 400k - 1000k a day, 10 - 30 millions a month. They can save at least 10 million a month, 120 millions a year and after 8 working years, they quit this job with 1 billion. A great number at 26 years old. After then, they have nothing. No knowledge, no skills, ... they often try to get married to become a housewife, and never want to talk about the past.

When you get "A to Z" service, they expect at least 500,000 vnd

i think tip 50.000vnd for 1 hour foot massage, and 100.000vnd for 1 hour body massage is ok, if staff have not a good attitude you can complain to management.
I allway tip:
Rule 1 : the tip = ticket price.
Rule 2 : Tip for foot massage = 50% body massage
if they make you happy you can double
Hope you happy and good luck !

Hi

I've been living in Vietnam for many years. Many foreigners are lacking intelligence when it comes to tipping. Unless the massage has a happy ending you should never tip above 150 000 dong for a massage, I generally tip about 100 000 dong for a foot or body massage. People that tip 500 000 or 1 million should get there brains checked, tipping goes with the cost of life of the country you live in. In Vietnam that cost is pretty low. When you give a big tip this just inflates the price and causes the employees to me more greedy. When the salon sees there employees start receiving a lot of big tips they raise there ticket price because they see that the dumb foreigner has to much money for his on good. Over the years it happened to one of my favorite places, they use to charge a ticket price of 160 000 dong and within a year it went up to 230 000 dong because people were saying it's cheap and gave big tips. Bottom line my advice is keep your tips low, your not in a western country and the cost of life is low.