Visitors arrive with habits from wherever they last travelled — some haggle everything, some tip everything. Neither approach fits here, and the distinction between contexts is quite clear once explained.
| Negotiate | taxis, tours, boats, long rentals |
|---|---|
| Do not negotiate | market produce, food, small shops |
| Tipping | appreciated; check if service is added |
| Always | agree a price before the service |
Where negotiation is normal
- Taxi fares, which should always be agreed before setting off
- Tours and day rates for drivers and guides
- Boat trips and water taxis
- Craft items, mildly, where a price is not marked
- Longer accommodation, as covered in the material on monthly stays
The important thing about all of these is not the negotiation but the timing. Agreeing the price beforehand is the norm and expected; discussing it afterwards is where arguments come from.
Nobody will think you rude for asking the price first. Everyone will find it awkward if you ask at the end.
Where it is not
- Market produce, which is already cheap and priced fairly
- Food and drink at any establishment
- Shops with marked prices
- Buses, which have set fares
Haggling at a market stall over a sum that is small to you and meaningful to the seller is the behaviour that makes visitors disliked. The prices are already low; the person selling is not making much; and the amount you would save is not worth what it costs you in how you are seen.
If a price genuinely seems wrong, ask politely what it is rather than proposing a lower one.
Tipping
Straightforward, with one thing to check:
- Restaurants — a service charge is often already added; check the bill before adding more
- Taxis — rounding up is normal, a large tip is not expected
- Guides and boat crew — appreciated, particularly for a good day
- Hotel staff — appreciated, and best given directly to the person
- Bars — not obligatory, always welcome
The first is the practical point. Adding twenty percent on top of an included service charge is common and unnecessary — read the bill, and tip on top of it only if you want to.
Being asked for money
It happens occasionally, and there is a way to handle it that keeps everyone's dignity:
- Be polite regardless of whether you give
- "Not today" is a complete answer, said pleasantly
- Do not give to children, which encourages begging over school
- Consider giving to a community project instead, where you can see the effect
- Buying something from someone selling is usually the better response than a handout
The last is worth adopting as a default. Buying a coconut or a piece of craft work is a transaction between equals, and it is generally more welcome than charity.
Where your money goes
A small island economy is visible in a way a large one is not, and where you spend has a traceable effect:
- Small local businesses keep money on the island
- Market and roadside pays growers directly
- Local guides and drivers rather than an agency abroad
- Locally made things rather than imported souvenirs
- Direct bookings rather than platforms taking a commission
None of this requires spending more. It mostly means buying the same things from a person rather than from an intermediary — and the person you buy from is usually more interesting company anyway.
Frequently asked questions
When should you agree a price?
Before the service, always — for taxis, boats and tours. Discussing it afterwards is where arguments come from.
Should you haggle at the market?
No. Prices are already low, and haggling over a sum that is small to you and meaningful to the seller is what makes visitors disliked.
How does tipping work?
Check the bill first — a service charge is often already added. Tip on top of it only if you want to.
What is better than giving money?
Buying something from someone selling — it is a transaction between equals and generally more welcome than a handout.
