Your complete tipping guide for Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao. Select an island to get started.
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Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao each have their own tipping customs. While a gratuity is never legally required, it is an important part of the local service economy and is expected in most tourist-facing situations. Getting it right shows respect for the people who make your holiday special.
The most important habit to develop: always check your bill for a service charge before leaving anything extra. In Curaçao, a 10–15% charge is often included as servicio. In Aruba it is rarely included, so tipping 15–20% is expected. Bonaire is more relaxed, but cash tips matter deeply, especially for dive masters.
All three islands accept US dollars for tips. Carry small $1 and $5 bills and you will always be prepared.
Aruba is the most tourism-oriented of the three islands and has adopted US-style tipping norms. Most restaurants do not include a service charge, so tipping 15–20% after a sit-down meal is expected. At high-end restaurants, 18–20% is standard.
Taxi drivers operate without meters. Negotiate the fare upfront, then tip 10–15% on top. Hotel housekeeping should receive $2–5 per day, left daily rather than at checkout. Card tip lines are common, but cash tips ensure your server receives the full amount directly.
Bonaire has a more relaxed, Dutch-influenced culture. Tipping is appreciated but not assumed at restaurants. The island officially uses the US dollar, so no currency conversion is needed.
The most important rule here: $5–10 per tank for dive masters is standard. For a full week of diving, $50–100 total is generous. Always tip in cash directly. Dive masters rarely receive card tips through the shop system. Gas stations are full-service; tip the attendant $1–2 per fill-up.
Curaçao blends Dutch and Caribbean customs. Many restaurants in Willemstad's Punda and Otrobanda areas include a service charge of 10–15% listed as servicio. When included, no additional tip is needed, though a small cash extra for exceptional service is always appreciated.
Outside the tourist zones, Dutch customs apply: tipping is a genuine gesture, not a cultural obligation. US dollars are accepted almost everywhere, though change may come back in local Caribbean guilders.
In-depth guides for every island. Read before you travel, reference while you are there.
Tipping is never legally required in Aruba, Bonaire, or Curaçao. There is no law that obligates you to leave a gratuity, and no one will chase you out of a restaurant for not tipping. That said, in practice, tipping expectations vary significantly between the three islands.
In Aruba, tipping culture closely mirrors that of the United States. In tourist-heavy areas, a tip is strongly expected at restaurants, hotels, taxis, and for tour guides. Not leaving one will be noticed. In Bonaire and Curaçao, the Dutch influence creates a more relaxed culture where tipping is genuinely appreciated but not assumed. The most important rule on all three islands: always check your bill for a service charge before leaving anything extra, so you do not tip twice.
USD is accepted and often preferred for tips across all three islands. Bonaire officially uses the US dollar as its currency, so there is no question there. In Aruba, the local currency is the Aruban florin (AWG), and in Curaçao it is the Caribbean guilder (XCG), but service staff in both islands routinely accept and prefer US dollar tips because they are universally spendable.
The most practical approach for any ABC Islands trip is to carry a supply of small USD bills specifically for tipping. One dollar bills and five dollar bills are the most useful denominations. Avoid tipping with coins. They are difficult to use and considered a poor gesture. Also avoid breaking a large bill for a tip, as staff may struggle to make change. If you pay a tip on a card, be aware that in some establishments the tip does not always reach the server directly.
A service charge is a fixed percentage added automatically to your bill by the restaurant or hotel, typically between 10% and 15%. In Curaçao it often appears as servicio. In Aruba and Bonaire it may simply say "service charge" or "service." This amount goes to the business, and how it is distributed to staff varies. It is not always passed on in full to the person who served you.
When the service charge is included: you are not expected to tip on top of it. The charge is intended to replace the gratuity. However, if your service was genuinely exceptional, leaving an additional 5% as a cash tip directly to your server is a nice gesture that will be appreciated. When it is not included: tip 15–20% in Aruba and 10–15% in Bonaire and Curaçao. The key habit to develop is checking the bottom of your bill before you calculate a tip. It saves you from over-paying and ensures you tip correctly every time.
Bonaire is widely regarded as the best shore diving destination in the Caribbean, and the island's dive economy relies significantly on tips. Dive masters here are skilled professionals who manage your safety, equipment, and experience underwater. Tipping them well is both appropriate and important to the local community.
The standard tip for a dive master in Bonaire is $5–10 per tank for guided dives. For a full week of diving at a resort with the same dive master, a total tip of $50–100 is considered generous and appropriate, depending on the quality of the guiding and the length of the trip. For boat crew and equipment staff who support your dives, an additional $10–20 at the end of a trip is a thoughtful gesture. Always tip in cash and hand it directly to your dive master. Tips left on a card rarely make it through the dive shop's system to the individual staff member.
Tipping individual staff at all-inclusive resorts is standard practice and expected in the ABC Islands, particularly in Aruba where most of the large all-inclusive properties are located. The all-inclusive price covers your accommodation, food, and drinks, but it does not include gratuities for the people who personally serve you each day. Many resort workers rely on these individual tips as a significant part of their income.
The recommended amounts are: $2–5 per day for housekeeping (leave the tip daily on your pillow or beside the bed, not as a lump sum at checkout, which ensures the right person receives it each day), $1–2 per drink for pool bar or beach bar staff, $2–3 per meal for restaurant servers within the resort, and $5–10 for a concierge or activities coordinator who arranges something special for you. If you use a spa service, check whether gratuity is already added. If not, tip 15–20%.