We've travelled to the USA before, where tipping is basically an extra tax you pay to subsidise poor wages. So when we landed in Vietnam, we were a bit confused — the service was excellent from the moment we arrived, and none of it felt like it was fishing for a tip. Turns out Vietnam just doesn't have a tipping culture, and it's worth understanding before you go.
At the bigger, more established businesses, staff don't expect a tip — it's built into their (modest) wages. But if the service is great and you're feeling generous, go for it. We did this a lot, because honestly, 50,000 VND was neither here nor there to us — about $3.50 NZD — but it clearly meant something on the other end.
We tipped one hotel desk staff member 100,000 VND (about $6.80 NZD). Later that day they went out on their own time, bought us a mug and a little turtle ornament as a gift, and brought them up to our room before their shift ended. That's the kind of thing a bit of generosity gets you here.
We got into the habit of rounding up Grab rides too — the fares are so cheap that rounding up barely registers for you, but it adds up to something worthwhile for the driver.
At the markets, you'll quickly find the "walk away price" — the point where they actually let you walk. You'll generally have a rough idea of what things are worth, so don't be silly with your opening offers. Don't offer $2 NZD for a pair of Ray-Bans when they're realistically going for somewhere between $7 and $20 NZD depending on the pair and how good your bartering is. Lowball too hard and you won't get a friendly reaction — it's a negotiation, not an insult contest.
Clothing prices vary a lot depending on quality, especially t-shirts — some are genuinely well made, others are cheap tourist knock-offs, and the price should reflect that. You'll get a feel for fair pricing after your first "shopping mission" through the stalls; use that as your benchmark for the rest of the trip.
Go to the markets in the morning, around 8am, before the madness starts. Easier to browse, easier to negotiate, and a lot less chaotic than the afternoon crowds.
We did lose one negotiation properly, though. We missed a taxi because our offer was 50,000 VND and the driver wanted 65,000 — so he drove off. Ten minutes later, we flagged down another driver and paid 65,000 anyway. The difference we'd dug our heels in over was about $1 NZD total, split four ways — roughly 25 cents each. Pure stupidity on our part, and a good early lesson: factor in what it cost you to get there in the first place, think about what their wages actually look like, and just pay what it's genuinely worth to you. Don't lose a good taxi over pocket change.