Tipping is, of course, entirely voluntary on any Cambodia Bird Guide Association tour. However, many of our guests ask for guidance on gratuities to show appreciation when our team does a great job. Please never feel obliged or pressured to tip; our staff work passionately and skillfully regardless. If you do choose to tip, it is always deeply appreciated by everyone on the team.
The size of our field team varies depending on your itinerary. In Cambodia, local site regulations require a local park guide or community ranger to accompany groups in specific reserves and national parks, alongside our dedicated driver and your main CBGA birding tour leader.
Tipping Guidelines
- CBGA Tour Leader: A general benchmark for birding tours in the region is US$10 per participant per day for your main tour leader. Some guests choose to give a bit more or less based on their personal experience, and either is completely fine—no one will ever feel slighted.
- Drivers: Our drivers usually receive around US$5 per participant per day. Beyond navigating Cambodian roads safely, our drivers handle luggage, assist with field logistics, and keep drinks cold in the vehicle. If your driver goes above and beyond, feel free to adjust accordingly.
- Local Park Rangers & Site Guides: You can use a similar rule of thumb for local park rangers and community spotters. These guides know their specific habitats better than anyone and are invaluable for tracking down elusive target species. If a local ranger joins you for a half-day, around half the daily rate (US$5 per participant) is a great guideline.
- Boatmen & Lodge Staff: Drivers of river or lake boats (who are often remarkably good at spotting waterbirds along the Tonlé Sap or local waterways) and hotel room staff can also be tipped along these same general guidelines.
In short, around US$10–$15 per guest per day total covers standard tipping across your journey, erring on the higher side for senior lead guides. Treat this as a helpful baseline rather than a strict rule—less or more is always okay!
Currency & ATMs
US Dollars (USD) are widely accepted throughout Cambodia, but Cambodian Riel (KHR) is usually better when visiting small rural villages or tipping community site guides in remote parks. Both USD and local Riel can easily be withdrawn from ATMs in main towns using standard debit or credit cards, or exchanged upon arrival at airports and land borders.
Your guide is always happy to assist with banking stops. Just give them a heads-up a day or two before you run low on cash so they can plan a quick stop at an ATM along the route. Most guests withdraw an initial amount of local currency at the airport for drinks, gifts, and tips, and top it up as needed during the trip.
Meals & Included Gratuities
On almost all of our scheduled tours, meals and standard gratuities for servers at restaurants and lodges are already included in your package. You do not need to worry about tipping at meal times unless you are ordering extra personal drinks or are on a custom private tour where meals are listed as excluded.
Hassle-Free Tipping Option
If you prefer not to manage individual small payments throughout your journey, you are very welcome to hand a pooled sum to your main CBGA guide at the start or end of the tour. Just let them know, and they will gladly take care of distributing tips to all local drivers, boatmen, and park rangers on your behalf.
We hope these guidelines help you prepare for your trip! If you have any questions at all, please email us at info@birdguideasso.org or speak directly with your guide when your tour begins.