Every time we change countries, I find myself scouring multiple resources to cover all the basics. I’ve summarized them here in case it helps anyone else:
Bali
| Speak English? |
Yes, communication was easy |
| Vegetarian-friendly? |
Extremely, especially in Ubud |
| Drive on the… |
Left |
| Water Drinkable? |
No, but ice is fine since the supply is quality-controlled by the government |
| Do I need cash? |
Yes. Visa & Mastercard are accepted in some places, but will add 2-3% surcharge for using them. Cash is handy for taxis, markets, and many cafes are cash only. |
| Tipping |
25-30,000 in spas, 10% in restaurants if no service charge has been added, round up for taxis. Hotels typically have a service charge built in but you could tip anyone who has provided exceptional service. |
| Uber |
Highly controversial and nearly impossible to use due to the local taxi mafia. Best to pre-arrannge transport from the airport, then either rent a scoot or get your hotel to help negotiate rides. |
| Favourite Drink |
Coconut Frappe from The Elephant |
Barcelona
| Speak English? |
Mostly – though Spanish is very helpful |
| Vegetarian-friendly? |
Not really |
| Drive on the… |
Right |
| Water Drinkable? |
Yes |
| Do I need cash? |
Yes – many places don’t take cards |
| Tipping |
10% in addition to the service charge (only if service was good), 10% for taxis |
| Uber |
No |
| Favourite Drink |
Cava |
Cape Town
| Speak English? |
Yes |
| Vegetarian-friendly? |
Yes |
| Drive on the… |
Left |
| Water Drinkable? |
Yes |
| Do I need cash? |
Not really |
| Tipping |
Wages are low so 10-15% in restaurants (if no service charge added), 10% for everyone else |
| Uber |
Readily available and much cheaper than taxis; public transit isn’t generally safe for tourists |
| Favourite Drink |
South African wine – delicious and cheap! |
Copenhagen
| Speak English? |
Pretty much everyone speaks English, and Google Translate works well for signage/grocery stores |
| Vegetarian-friendly? |
Yes |
| Drive on the… |
Right |
| Water Drinkable? |
Yes |
| Do I need cash? |
No |
| Tipping |
No |
| Uber |
Yes, at least in Copenhagen but public transit is good and the locals all mainly use bikes. |
| Favourite Drink |
Wine |
Dubai
| Speak English? |
Yes |
| Vegetarian-friendly? |
Yes – hummus and falafel galore! |
| Drive on the… |
Right |
| Water Drinkable? |
Yes |
| Do I need cash? |
Only for taxis |
| Tipping |
10-15% in restaurants; round to the nearest 5 or 10 for taxis |
| Uber |
Yes, but it is actually more expensive than taxis, which are government-subsidized. The metro is the cheapest transit, and very easy to use… best to take the metro as much as possible then supplement with a taxi |
| Favourite Drink |
Whatever you brought in from duty-free. As a tourist, you cannot buy alchohol outside of hotels and drinks prices are steep. |
Helsinki
| Speak English? |
Most people do and Helsinki is fairly easy to get around, but you will struggle in grocery stores. Google Translate is not very useful. |
| Vegetarian-friendly? |
Surprisingly, yes. |
| Drive on the… |
Right |
| Water Drinkable? |
Yes |
| Do I need cash? |
No |
| Tipping |
Round up in restaurants with good service and for taxi drivers |
| Uber |
Locals say there are lots of issues with the police, so best to stick with taxis/public transit |
| Favourite Drink |
Long Drink: a fizzy gin & grapefruit drink that comes in a can |
Florence
| Speak English? |
Yes |
| Vegetarian-friendly? |
Easily gorge yourself on pasta and gelato |
| Drive on the… |
Right |
| Water Drinkable? |
Yes |
| Do I need cash? |
Yes, for taxis and some cafes. |
| Tipping |
Round up in restaurants with good service and for taxi drivers |
| Uber |
No and taxis only stop at specified locations for pick-up. You can walk almost anywhere or use AppTaxi (which works like Uber) |
| Favourite Drink |
Aperol Spritz! |
France
| Speak English? |
Only in Paris. Even high school French will be helpful in other cities, as is Google Translate |
| Vegetarian-friendly? |
Not really, but the cheese is exceptional |
| Drive on the… |
Right |
| Water Drinkable? |
Yes |
| Do I need cash? |
No |
| Tipping |
10% in restaurants for great service, 10% for taxis |
| Uber |
Yes for Pairs, No for smaller cities |
| Favourite Drink |
Champagne, of course! |
Germany
| Speak English? |
Most people do, so even if menus are in German, waitstaff can help translate. Getting around is easy. |
| Vegetarian-friendly? |
Shockingly, yes (but you might need to ask for something to be made special for you in restaurants) |
| Drive on the… |
Right |
| Water Drinkable? |
Yes |
| Do I need cash? |
Yes – a lot of places don’t take international cards, especially in Berlin |
| Tipping |
10% in restaurants (at most), round up for taxis |
| Uber |
Yes (in Berlin, anyways), but public transit is good and easy to use. |
| Favourite Drink |
Gluvine at a Christmas Market – tasty, and it helps keep you warm |
Japan
| Speak English? |
Not really but moreso in Tokyo. Japanese are often better at written than spoken English, so when in doubt, write it out. |
| Vegetarian-friendly? |
No. It will be tough to avoid fish broth or bonito flakes |
| Drive on the… |
Left |
| Water Drinkable? |
Yes |
| Do I need cash? |
Yes – it’s not uncommon for smaller restaurants to be cash-only, many subway ticket machines don’t take cards, and food stalls are all cash. |
| Tipping |
No, and it is generally considered insulting to do so. |
| Uber |
In Tokyo, but it’s the same price as the taxis (expensive) and you are better off with public transit. |
| Favourite Drink |
Sake! |
London
| Speak English? |
Yes |
| Vegetarian-friendly? |
Yes – Indian food is particularly good |
| Drive on the… |
Left |
| Water Drinkable? |
Yes |
| Do I need cash? |
No – Apple Pay works well (even on The Tube), and cards are accepted everywhere (though make sure to ask the cabbie before driving away) |
| Tipping |
Up to 10% in restaurants if no service charge is added; round up for taxis |
| Uber |
Yes, but taxis know the city better and are always available, The Tube is usually the fastest and cheapest option for getting anywhere. |
| Favourite Drink |
Sparkling wine by the bottle in pubs, or the occassional pint of cider |
Malaysia
| Speak English? |
Yes |
| Vegetarian-friendly? |
Yes, though it’s helpful to know which local dishes are possible without meat. Make sure to specify “no fish or meat” or try to find a vegetarian hawker centre. |
| Drive on the… |
Left |
| Water Drinkable? |
Yes (in large cities) |
| Do I need cash? |
Yes – many places don’t take cards, and hawker centres all require cash |
| Tipping |
No |
| Uber |
Yes, and are much better than taxis, who are known for scamming tourists |
| Favourite Drink |
Gin & tonics – they make terrible drinks there so pick something that’s hard to mess up. |
Melbourne
| Speak English? |
Yes |
| Vegetarian-friendly? |
Yes – pretty much every restaurant has adequate vegetarian options |
| Drive on the… |
Left |
| Water Drinkable? |
Yes |
| Do I need cash? |
You can mostly get by on Apple Pay, which will save you the hassle of signing every time you use your card. Cash is handy for farmer’s markets, which is where you should buy your groceries if possible. |
| Tipping |
Not expected, especially if there’s a service charge added but 5-10% for great service or throw a coin in the tip cup; round up to the nearest dollar in taxis if they are deserving. |
| Uber |
Yes, though trams & trains will be faster if that’s convenient |
| Favourite Drink |
Australian Wine or a Flat White |
Mexico
| Speak English? |
Yes |
| Vegetarian-friendly? |
Yes – though beware of refried beans, which often have meat in them |
| Drive on the… |
Right |
| Water Drinkable? |
No – brush your teeth with bottled water, avoid ice unless you know it was from bottled water |
| Do I need cash? |
Many places take cards, but you’ll want small bills (either pesos or dollars) for tipping, especially at resorts. You can get by with dollars but it will be pricier than using pesos. |
| Tipping |
Restaurants 10-15%, spas 15-20%, give a few coins if someone bags your groceries for you (that is often their only income), no tipping for taxis, private transfer drivers should get about 100 pesos for good service on a longer drive |
| Uber |
Not in Playa del Carmen or Cancun |
| Favourite Drink |
Margarita, naturally |
San Francisco
| Speak English? |
Yes |
| Vegetarian-friendly? |
Yes – just about any restaurant can accommodate any crazy dietary restrictions |
| Drive on the… |
Right |
| Water Drinkable? |
Yes |
| Do I need cash? |
No |
| Tipping |
15-20% in restaurants, 10% for taxis |
| Uber |
Readily available and cheaper than taxis, though BART/MUNI might be faster |
| Favourite Drink |
Artisan cocktails in a speakeasy bar, or margaritas at Tacolicious |
Seoul
| Speak English? |
Depends. Taxi drivers may not but you can get by with the basics everywhere else. |
| Vegetarian-friendly? |
No. It’s a nightmare. |
| Drive on the… |
Right |
| Water Drinkable? |
Yes |
| Do I need cash? |
No |
| Tipping |
No |
| Uber |
No. |
| Favourite Drink |
Sochu |
Shanghai
| Speak English? |
Depends. Taxi drivers don’t – get your accommodation address written in Chinese so you can always get home. |
| Vegetarian-friendly? |
Not really. Din Tai Fung is always a safe bet and there are a few vegetarian Chinese restaurants, but otherwise expect surprise meat in vegetable dishes. |
| Drive on the… |
Right |
| Water Drinkable? |
No |
| Do I need cash? |
Only for taxis |
| Tipping |
No |
| Uber |
No. Car services require a China phone number or credit card |
| Favourite Drink |
Tea |
Singapore
| Speak English? |
Yes – it’s the national language |
| Vegetarian-friendly? |
Yes – Indian food is particularly good |
| Drive on the… |
Left |
| Water Drinkable? |
Yes |
| Do I need cash? |
Not really… only for hawker centres, or taxi fares are cheaper if you pay cash. |
| Tipping |
No, unless you had exceptional service in a restaurant, then leave up to 10%. |
| Uber |
Readily available and cheaper than taxis, though the metro is fast, cheap, perfectly punctual and so clean. |
| Favourite Drink |
TWG Tea |
Stockholm
| Speak English? |
Most people do. Google Translate works well for grocery stores, menus, etc. |
| Vegetarian-friendly? |
Yes, but best to check the menu before you pick a place to eat. |
| Drive on the… |
Right (but people walk on the left) |
| Water Drinkable? |
Yes |
| Do I need cash? |
No |
| Tipping |
5-10% in restaurants if there’s no service charge added |
| Uber |
Yes, but there’s plenty of good public transit |
| Favourite Drink |
Aperol Spritz – why hasn’t this caught on in the US? It’s so refreshing! |
Taipei
| Speak English? |
Pretty much everywhere |
| Vegetarian-friendly? |
Yes |
| Drive on the… |
Right |
| Water Drinkable? |
No, but ok for brushing your teeth |
| Do I need cash? |
Yes – food stalls all require cash and many stores don’t accept cards, but those that do usually accept Apple Pay |
| Tipping |
Almost never |
| Uber |
Technically works but doesn’t seem like there are many cards |
| Favourite Drink |
Boba tea! |
Thailand
| Speak English? |
Hotel staff and restaurants that cater to foreigners do, street food might require some gesturing. You can get by, though. |
| Vegetarian-friendly? |
It’s doable but takes some effort to avoid fish sauce, especially with street food. |
| Drive on the… |
Left |
| Water Drinkable? |
No |
| Do I need cash? |
Yes – food stalls all require cash and many stores don’t accept cards. |
| Tipping |
Up to 10% in restaurants if no service charge is added, 50-100 baht for a massage, a little extra for taxis driver (provided they don’t try and scam you) |
| Uber |
Works in Bangkok but we had many problems with drivers getting lost and taking ages to pick us up – factor in extra time. The BTS Skytrain is easy and cheap. |
| Favourite Drink |
Coconut Shake: ice, coconut water and coconut meat blended together – yum! |
Vienna
| Speak English? |
Yes |
| Vegetarian-friendly? |
Yes, though best to check menus |
| Drive on the… |
Right |
| Water Drinkable? |
Yes |
| Do I need cash? |
Sometimes – some cafes are still cash-only |
| Tipping |
5-10% in restaurants if a service charge isn’t added, round up for taxis |
| Uber |
Yes |
| Favourite Drink |
Sprtiz, especially the variation with lemon & elderflower |
Vietnam
| Speak English? |
You can get by, especially in places that cater to tourists. English & Russian are common. |
| Vegetarian-friendly? |
Yes |
| Drive on the… |
Right |
| Water Drinkable? |
No |
| Do I need cash? |
Yes – hotels take cards but don’t expect many other places to, even in big cities. |
| Tipping |
5-10% in restaurants if a service charge isn’t added, round up for taxis |
| Uber |
Works great in Ho Chi Min City, but be careful not to accidentally request a motorbike. Outside HCMC, you’ll need to use taxis. (Insist they use the meter.) |
| Favourite Drink |
Vietnamese Iced Coffee |
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Rachel Hits The Road 
Hey Rach, this is very cool 🙂 (not to mention helpful!) Great idea!
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Hey lady… am jelly of your recent trip to LiveAqua…lol . However, we will be in Cancun for my Bday 7th-12th… Bday is the 10th… But staying at Oasis Sens instead… a lil cheaper and also an Adults only venue… We’ve been here before, and it’s a good resort, not fantastic like LiveAqua, but ok for a cheap get away… We hope to visit LiveAqua this Summer… We were there in November 17… of course our annual trip for our Anniversary… Luvs to you both… Talk soon!
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btw…. this was from your friends, Dan & Anita Manis, Tennessee
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