but I always remember the smiles of the local people in and around Bandar Seri Begawan, and the helpfulness of tour guides I enlisted during my foray into Ulu Temburong! Oman shines with a friendly attitude towards foreign residents, coming in seventh place for the friendliest country worldwide. I don’t think I have had many bad experiences in Indonesia in all my years backpacking, and the main reason for this is because I know I turn to the local people for advice and friendship in times of need. Here are five of the friendliest cities in Asia that will surely take you in and welcome you with arms wide open. Foreigners travel in the Thailand and visit the beautiful city of Bangkok. It is way off the beaten path, but the people of Vanuatu are so warm and friendly and totally excited when tourist come. © 2020 Forbes Media LLC. However, should you wish to disable this capability, or to learn more about our policy, please visit our Cookies policyOpen a new window. Italian expat said they valued the “genuine friendliness" of the Irish, while a Swedish expat said the Irish are “sociable, friendly people who know how to have a laugh and enjoy themselves”. The state-of-the-art technology, elaborate fashions, and exemplary craftsmanship will take you in awe, drawn to their beauty and sophistication of another kind. One Italian expat said they valued the “genuine friendliness" of the Irish, while a Swedish expat said the Irish are “sociable, friendly people who know how to have a laugh and enjoy themselves”. This helps bring together great minds to work through the challenge of growing an economy, while respecting the planet. I can speak Bahasa Indonesia, which does help matters, but regardless of the language barrier, Indonesian people just want you to enjoy their country and their culture! From the big cities of Tokyo and Kyoto to the snow-covered villages of Honshu, you can always expect incredible Japanese hospitality – and that makes it a great country to come back to regardless of your travel budget! Sometimes, the visitors get so wrapped up in heart-to-heart chats that they forget what the meeting was all about in the first place. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Here Are The Top 25 Women-Friendly Countries In The World. EY & Citi On The Importance Of Resilience And Innovation, Impact 50: Investors Seeking Profit — And Pushing For Change. In 2016 the US was ranked 19th, meaning it has become less friendly. Further south around Champasak, I noticed a little more hardship towards foreigners, but the good people of Luang Prabang (including the Monks) will be in my heart forever! It has a very large community of Indians, Pakistanis, Chinese and others. There’s a word in Japanese, omotenashi, which is used by locals to describe their unique approach to hospitality. So which are typically the best countries in SE Asia to visit if you want to be accepted in their society? With the many cities it has, the beaches and mountains as well as ravines, the insurmountable richness of the country will never leave you idle in the entire duration of your visit. Polynesia may be a country I have visited only once, but this week-long trip was enough to leave a lasting impression on me. Saya bisa berbahasa Indonesia yang baik tapi saya tidak sempurna! Despite its very sophisticated design, the canopy has the simple function of providing cover from the unpredictable tropical weather for the people of Singapore. Expats report that they find the British distant (42%) and reserved (58%) making it more difficult for them to make friends. Unfortunately, Singapore’s neighbors lag behind with the next Asian country being Malaysia, which comes in at a distant 63rd position. I found the friendliest people in Laos to be in the sleepy and charming town of Luang Prabang in the north. (The top ten friendliest countries are revealed below.). A country that only gets 3-4 hours of sunlight in winter could be forgiven for being a bit grumpy about life. Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com. Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security highlighted four core principles of environmental sustainability in a recent address to the attendees of Ecosperity 2017: These four pillars summarize how Singapore has been able to successfully balance the needs of the planet, its people and the economy that supports them. There are many holidays celebrated by the Khmer people that are either religious or spiritual in nature, and these celebrations have become reasons for tourist attractions and visits. Learn how your comment data is processed. Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. 2. Although Malaysia does indeed have a VERY DARK side, the vast majority of ‘normal’ people in the country are extremely friendly to each other and especially to tourists. Of all the countries on the Asian content, Singapore tops the list in terms of eco-friendliness. One of the ways to reduce power consumption is the with the mandated construction of green buildings. You will feel the warmth of the place regularly in every Filipino that you will meet. Almost four in five expats (79%) describe the Portuguese as welcoming, and about three in ten (29%) state that locals make up most of their social circles (vs 19% globally). It’s important to understand that Singapore is both a city and an island nation – commonly referred to as a city-state. Different people have different perspectives on this country, but in my experience it was very positive, with the Burmese people being the absolute highlight of my time there so far (well, as well as the temples of Bagan). In fact, it's one of the safest countries to visit in the world, and the inviting Changi Airport will make … So what are you waiting for? haha. Travelling an average of once a month, she has covered destinations as wide-ranging as Detroit and Tehran, Riga and Havana. Excellent post! The people of Thailand are recognised as friendly and helpful people. Where in South East Asia most impressed you regarding the friendliness of the locals? The next time you’re planning a trip, consult this list to consider whether locals in your destination might give you a bad taste. However i manage to couchsurf in bangkok twice. I found the friendliest people in Laos to be in the sleepy and charming town of Luang Prabang in the north. It seems the Japanese pride themselves on being professional and helpful to foreigners, as if it is their duty to uphold their country’s reputation. This goes far beyond the mandated green standards for construction of new buildings. With an outstanding general satisfaction rate of 83 percent, expats seem to be very happy with their life in Oman. We reveal the winner and shortlist for friendliest country in the Service category, as chosen in the 2018 Marco Polo Club Members' Choice Awards by Cathay Pacific's most frequent flyers. Note: While COVID-19 has put most travel on hold for now, we hope our stories will keep you dreaming and planning for the future. Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. I couldn’t agree more with you as I have visited these countries! Post was not sent - check your email addresses! Portugal. You can read an excerpt of the speech here. You will also get enticed by the way they have maintained a relationship with the animals based on rapport and the extent of the care and preservation they have done to secure the welfare of these creatures as they co-exist with the wild life. Hi Lee, I love your blog and been using it to plan my trip to SE Asia but I’m on quite a tight timetable due to work commitments. Courtesy and respect are the basics in Japanese cultures. Terima Kasih! This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. The Asia-Pacific region is one of the more popular parts of the world for backpacking, and it is during our visits to this part of the world where we are inclined to meet some very friendly people, all of whom are genuinely intrigued by our passion for travel in their countries – but which countries traditionally have friendlier locals than other countries? But, what really jumps out at you is the wavy roof of Canopy Park. We aim to give you the best experience possible – but also wish to respect your privacy. You can explore the full listing of countries here. But perhaps Iceland’s spectacular volcanic scenery, colossal waterfalls and endless clean geothermal power have worked some magic on the smiling locals. Close to half the expats living there (46%) rate the attitude of the local population towards foreign residents negatively, which is nearly three times the global average (16%). largest global network and information site for people who live and work abroad, has looked at data and comments supplied by almost 13,000 expats from 188 countries and territories to reveal which are the friendliest countries in the world to live. A landlocked place, Laos has remained orthodox in many ways. Expats in Oman appreciate the general friendliness among the local population and particularly towards foreign residents (83% and 86% rate this positively, respectively). Loved it there and I genuinely can’t wait to go back! Studies of Singapore’s green initiatives have shown that an office built in accordance with the Green Mark guidelines enjoyed an 11% reduction in total operating expenses, largely thanks to reduced energy and water consumption. As a nation rooted in nomadic culture, extending hospitality to strangers is an integral part of Mongolian heritage. Wherever you go around the Infinite Archipelago (as I call it), there is one common factor – the people are so friendly. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Sleepy Luang Prabang. It may be strange to list Brunei here, but I love Bruneians! The answer is Kuwait. . I agree ,,,, But some countries are more welcoming than others, making the possibility of building a new life there more feasible. Hahaha dude, i think the opposite maybe its an opinion of a local. Be on your way to visit these. Jenny Southan is a multi award-winning journalist. The concept went viral after it was introduced in a speech by Christel Takigawa in 2013 to (successfully) pitch to the 2020 International Olympic Committee, and it seems the meaning has been received loud and clear by Marco Polo Club members, with 57 per cent voting for Japan as the friendliest country in Asia. Wow Indonesia is number one…, thank u Lee, Wow, i never expect that you actually can speak in Bahasa…, Halo apa kabar mu hari ini? Magical tattoos are also common practices used to ward off negative elements as well as for ornamental reasons. 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