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30 World Travelers Rank The Friendliest And Most Unwelcoming Nations In Viral Thread
Interview With Expert
If you’ve done quite a bit of traveling, you’ll know that you can have vastly different experiences around the world depending on what country you’re in and how well you fit in there. In one place, you might be considered crazy if you smile at a stranger while walking down the street. Meanwhile, in another, you might be called rude if you don’t strike up a conversation with the bartender before ordering a beer.
Your experience might also be greatly impacted by how the locals feel about tourists. Globetrotters on Reddit have recently been detailing which countries they’ve met the friendliest locals in and which ones weren’t exactly welcoming towards foreigners. We’ve gathered their most eye-opening replies below, so be sure to upvote the ones you’ll keep in mind for future travels. And keep reading to find conversations with travel experts Alyse, aka The Invisible Tourist, and King Siu of Travel, Eat, Drink!
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Dear female travellers travelling alone in India: don't travel alone.
Layla Layla 2 months ago
I have no business in the rape capital of the planet. They can find other tourists
#2
Female, American from DR, raised in NJ in the 80s and 90s. I appear mixed/brown and when I traveled in my 20s and 30s, I mostly did alone.
Nicest people: Japanese. I've lived in Japan and traveled there a lot since. Never had a truly bad experience. People were helpful and once the ice was broken, very friendly; everyone tends to mind their business and customer service was always great, even when the konbini part-timer looked like they'd rather be anywhere but at work. Friendliest people I met were at Kamakura.
Meanest: I wouldn't say "mean" but I am never going to Egypt again. The sexual harassment was unbelievable. Made NYC Construction Sites seem like a monastery by comparison.
#3
For me, a white woman in my then early twenties, Scotland was by far the nicest country. I found it so endearing that everyone kept calling me “love”.
To learn more about where you can find the friendliest locals in the world, we reached out to globetrotter Alyse, aka The Invisible Tourist, to hear her thoughts on the topic. Alyse was kind enough to have a chat with Bored Panda and share where she's encountered incredibly kind people.
"I'm sure many readers will agree when I answer this question with Japan, people genuinely go out of their way to help if you need it," the travel expert says. "For instance, I've been surprised when a lady in Osaka walked me from the train station to my hotel. And another time when I caught the wrong train, a lady jumped off onto the platform to direct me where to go and therefore missed her train... Just selfless encounters like this."
"The locals in Thailand are also some of the friendliest I've ever encountered, too!" Alyse added. "The genuine smiles on their faces are so heartwarming, it's no wonder Thailand is known as the 'Land of Smiles.'"
#4
Some of the nicest people I’ve come across in travels:
Japanese and Balinese, also New Zealanders
The rudest and most disrespectful:
Russians and Chinese.
Marianne 2 months ago
People in Japan are overwhelmingly nice! If you look lost, people will approach you and try to help. If you ask a stranger for directions, they will go above and beyond to help you find your destination. Even if you don't share a language, they will do their best to help and always be nice.
#5
I feel like men and women may have VERY different experiences in some countries. India for example. I found it very friendly/respectful as a big/tall western man, but I’d not want my wife or daughters traveling alone there.
#6
This highly depends on who you are. Race, gender, ethnicity, nationality play a huge role.
JJ 2 months ago
Additionally, how you behave. I traveled to France once without talking a single word of French except Bonjour and Merci and still didn't encounter any rude French. I greeted, asked friendly if they spoke English and wasn't mad at all when they didn't bit happy and thankful when they tried.
On the other hand, we were curious if Alyse has ever met locals who weren't exactly welcoming towards her. "For me personally, I did have less-than-friendly encounters with locals in Vienna and Prague," she shared. "Now, it is a cultural difference there for locals to not be overly enthusiastic when meeting visitors, which is understandable, but separate vendors in each city refused to give me change when I paid for street food. I had to insist, and felt as though they were trying to take advantage. Hopefully that has changed there now."
#7
People posting nicest places needs to post if they're a man or woman. Going to someone of these places as a woman is down right dangerous yet men see it as "nicest people ever".
#8
The world is filled with nice people and I keep travelling to remind this myself: you will find great people in any country.
#9
Nicest place I've ever been was New Zealand. The land is gorgeous, the people are lovely, and welcoming. I live in Niagara Region, which can be very touristy, and all over NZ was just so pleasant.
Worst place I've ever been is the Walmart next to Walt Disney World in Florida. There was a shooting as we were leaving, heard the gunshots while pulling out of the parking lot.
Alyse also suggests that travelers be extra mindful of locals in places that are known to suffer from over tourism. "Kyoto, Bali, Santorini, Venice, Dubrovnik, Amsterdam, Barcelona and Paris are just a few places where locals are fed up with tourists," she noted. "We don't want to make their lives more difficult, so it's important to be as respectful as possible when visiting."
#10
I haven't travelled the whole world but I felt safe and comfortable travelling in Germany, and totaly scared for my life in China.
#11
I understand Mandarin/Cantonese and went to Guangdong for a holiday. Worst holiday ever because I understood how rude they were. When I tried on clothes at a mall shop and didn't find anything which I liked, the sales girls b*tched out loud to each other that I shouldn't be trying anything if I wasn't going to buy anything. At another shop, I asked if they had a certain design in stock. When they offered an alternative, I tried it on, and I could hear them complaining out loud about me being a nuisance just because I asked if they had a particular design in stock. Plus, they did it deliberately loud Mean Girls style, like they wanted you to hear what they were saying. I had people scold ME for exclaiming 'hey!' when THEIR spit accidentally landed on my shoe. One lady in her 20s cut the line when I was just about to pay, and then yelled at me. Ordering food at a semi-popular dessert store meant being body slammed like we were at a mosh pit. I was never so glad to leave a country.
WickedSwicket 2 months ago
I'm surprised u didn't chance upon locals defecating in the streets. China gives me the shivers..
#12
Went to Montreal once. Just got to the city and stopped in front of a street kiosk with a city map. Within a couple of minutes of staring at it, a woman approached us and asked if we needed help finding anything. She was local. English, but with a French accent.
I was so confused and startled by this random act of kindness, that my initial thought was she was setting us up for something and I started looking behind my shoulder. The concept of a stranger helping us out for no particular reason was so alien to us that we were on guard for something that never happened. Turns out, people are just nice there and we weren't used to seeing it.
Lame Llama 2 months ago (edited)
The thing is, Quebecois are much nicer to tourists than their own folks from other part of Canada. I was appalled by the numbers of mean comments and snarks, even from 1st and 2nd generation immigrants there, that I wondered if being an AH to non-Quebecois is part of their integration into society.
We also asked the expert for some tips on how travelers can have better experiences with locals when abroad.
"Definitely try and 'blend in' as much as possible during your trip by learning some basic phrases of the local language (and possible responses!) beforehand," Alyse says. "Find out any cultural differences (for example, why you should never show the soles of your feet in some Asian countries), catch trains outside of rush hours with luggage where possible, dining etiquette, and cover up appropriately at any places of worship."
"And overall, try to keep our voices down. No one likes an annoying tourist, but we can amplify the positive aspects of tourism through thoughtful exchanges with locals," she added.
#13
Nicest? New Zealand by far.
Worst? Isreal. Arrogant and mean.
#14
Nicest people - Thailand; people were just friendly and helpful for no gain; I remember the nicest lady who saw we were confused and helped us to cross the street and then she couldn't speak English so she found someone else who spoke English so we could get directions and then made sure we got safely to building.
Runner Up - Wierdly Americans; seemingly always open to starting a conversation and trying to assist you or give you helpful tips
LaserBrain 2 months ago
Totally. Americans get a bad rap but many of them are so kind, generous and helpful.
#15
Nicest? Easily Canada- some very nice people up that way!
Meanest was easily Germany, though I did find their rudeness to be almost comical haha. I still like them though and appreciate their blunt manner!
Finally, Alyse suggests to "try and opt for small businesses as much as possible rather than global conglomerates during your trip."
"This helps to keep tourism money within the local community who rely on it, rather than it being sent offshore," she explained. "This applies to restaurants, accommodation, retail, traditional handicrafts and cultural experiences... As tourists, we have the power to funnel our money to where it is needed most."
And if you're looking for even more travel advice from Alyse, be sure to visit The Invisible Tourist or check out her book!
#16
Morocco for both. Had some of the most obnoxious dumba**es harass us but on the other hand had the one of the best meals of my life offered for free by the nicest strangers I’ve ever met one Ramadan there.
I prefer to remember the second but I can see how others would not. And that’d be every bit as reasonable.
May 2 months ago (edited)
That's right as regards to Morocco. A very friendly country but be careful when traveling alone as a Western woman. When I was a kid I remember having to tell an American friend of ours to not speak English too loud because us two (females) were the attraction of the souk, with grown ups men staring and making very lewd comments.
#17
I haven't been to all that many foreign countries, but I thought New Zealanders were quite nice. Sarcastic and teasing at times, but nice in general. I got really, super-bad vibes in Rwanda, like I was hated. That was difficult.
We were also lucky enough to get in touch with King Siu of Travel, Eat, Drink to hear about some of his experiences with locals around the world. "I’ve been to over 30 countries on six continents, and I’m happy to report that I’ve found friendly people everywhere I’ve been," the travel expert shared.
"There were definitely spots where I wasn’t sure what kind of reception I’d receive, but that was less about whether I thought I would find friendly people there and more about whether they would be friendly towards me," King noted. "There were many reasons for my hesitations, but the main two were how they would react to someone of my ethnicity (as an Asian, I kind of stand out everywhere I go outside of Asia), and how they would feel about a foreigner in general, as geopolitical issues can create tension."
#18
Nicest was Indonesia , so friendly and genuinely so. I’ve been many times and always have the same experience (touristy parts of Bali exempt)
Most unfriendly , Israel. They just looked so miserable all the time and any time I tried to start a chat I just got a dead eyed stare back at me.
Jess Smith 2 months ago
well if you went shortly after october 7th or around one of the sad holidays (tisha b'av, yom hashoah, yom hazikaron are the big 3 - in order, 'general sad day in Judaism, allegedly both temples fell on that day among other things, also historically some Bad Stuff happened then too...google it, also it's a fast day and it's hard to be happy when you can't eat or drink', 'holocaust remembrance day', 'veterans' day, but very different to the US') yeah they're going to be sad. In my experience Israelis tend to be about normal, definitely not like that.
King says that, for the most part, he's been very surprised by how much he's been ignored while traveling. "Whether I’m wandering alleys in Egypt, markets in Colombia, or small towns in Australia, I’m generally left alone," he told Bored Panda. "The exception being if I’m in a super touristy area, because then I’m mobbed like a celebrity as they try to sell me stuff. However, the locals I’ve engaged with in every country have typically been quite friendly, even when there is a language barrier between us."
#19
Ireland = nicest, I was surprised as I'm English but everyone was very friendly. France = rudest.
Edit: Runners up for nicest, Greece.
Marianne 2 months ago
My experience with the French is: They're super nice, if you're being nice to them. And it's easy to come across rude to a French person without intending to do so. Make sure to know some expressions in French and always greet them in French, even if you continue the conversation in English. That shows them that you respect their language and culture. And always greet the shopkeeper when you enter a shop.
#20
Taiwan is awesome and the people are super welcoming and nice
DE Ray 2 months ago
I've not been to Taiwan, but my university in the US was relatively popular with Taiwanese students we had probably 300 out of a total enrollment of around 4000. They were almost all exceptionally nice and polite, if a bit shy. We also had students from several Balkan countries and that was hit or miss - for every amazing guy from Dubrovnik who got along with everyone there was a creeper from Belgrade who was a dedicated misanthrope. One of my favorite memories of university was when a Taiwanese student (probably 4'9"/150cm) got paired as roommate with a Slovenian member of the university's volleyball team (maybe 6'6"/200cm), became inseparable friends and went everywhere together.
"I’ve also found that the more a place differs from where I am from, the friendlier the people tend to be towards me," King pointed out. "Logically, one would assume that it would be the other way around, but that’s not what I’ve found."
"When I stayed in a favela in Rio de Janeiro (which is probably the scariest thing I’ve done to-date, and not something I recommend you do without doing extensive research and taking the proper precautions), once I got over the possibility that I could be killed or kidnapped and got to know the people in that neighborhood, I would say that they turned out to be some of the friendliest and most generous people I’ve ever met," he shared.
#21
Meanest in Morocco, lots of catcalling and no respect for personal space. Nicest I am going to say America from personal experience.
#22
Best: Japan. By far the worst of what I’ve experienced: Turkey. God I hate everything about that country.
Alexia 2 months ago
That's weird re. Turkey - and again, it may depend on several aspects. I travelled to Turkey (Istanbul), wandered through the streets alone (including the great bazaar), and people were all nice and helpful. I was once mistaken for a local by somebody who asked me for directions.:))) We got lost once, it was already dark and police escorted us to the hotel when we told them we were tourists. I asked why they bothered, and they responded that tourism was vital for their country, and they made sure tourists were safe, so they'd want to return and share positive experience to others.
"People are naturally curious, and the opportunity to learn new things and have a new experience in a safe environment brings out the best in people," King says. "This isn’t like someone trying something new because that often puts someone in an uncomfortable situation, and people don’t like feeling vulnerable. In this scenario, they are in their comfort zone as the local dealing with you, so there is no feeling of losing control to deter them from the experience."
#23
The French. I am not a huge world traveler so I'm no authority, but in my experience the French folks I met were not very friendly, and liked to make fun of people and any attempts to speak their language."
#24
Philippines is very friendly to travellers. The rudest I'd say were France and Belgium. I honestly can't say I was really personally impacted by that, but coming from Canada it was quite shocking to see how rude some service staff could be to customers.
We also asked King about any experiences he's had with locals who weren't particularly welcoming. "In my experience, their unfriendly attitude towards foreigners often stems from the fact that the foreigners are being disrespectful," he noted. "Usually, it’s not on purpose, but when you’re traveling to a new place, especially if they have a different culture or religion, make sure you do your research about the local customs and behaviors. I’m sure we’ve heard of the extreme cases where idiotic tourists damage historical or religious monuments, but sometimes it’s just simple things like talking too loudly or eating on public transit."
"When you’re traveling, you are a guest, and just as you’d behave yourself and do your best to not be an idiot when you’re visiting a friend’s house, it’s your job to know how not to upset people who live in the places you visit," the expert added.
#25
Vietnam is probably the friendliest place ive been.
lenka 2 months ago
South Vietnam was lovely. North Vietnam was... confronting. This was 20 odd years ago, but the outright hatred, abuse, rudeness, snide comments and attempts to completely rip you off if you are white were awful. I understand the impact the Vietnam war had on the people in the North and tried really hard to be patient and kind in the face of the racism but it was hard. The good thing to come out of it was that I have a much better understanding of my privilege being a white person living in a western country.
#26
For me thus far, nicest: Denmark. I don't think I met a rude person once. They score very high on reported happiness quizzes. Close second would be Costa Rica.
Meanest: France, but I still wouldn't say they were mean. People in the Loire valley were great, Parisians were a little less nice. But still much nicer than the stereotype, which I think comes from Americans who believe that everybody understands English if you just slow it down and shout it.
King also recommends that tourists be extra mindful of respecting the local religion when traveling.
"Just because a place shares the same language and many of the same values, don’t assume that you don’t need to be mindful of how you’re behaving," he added. "Even in the U.S., acceptable behaviors can differ greatly across the country. It’s often more difficult because everything is so similar, yet some things are completely different. Take, for example, attitudes on public transit. Someone in Florida would think you’re crazy for taking public transit, but in NYC, it would not even be a topic of conversation."
#27
Thailand. Nicest people.
Lame Llama 2 months ago (edited)
Even the scammers do it with a smile. So many scammers targeting tourists, and they hike up the cab fare when you are non-Asian.
#28
The meanest is probably Manila Philippines. I've been there 3 times and every time I encounter the coldest least friendly people I've ever met. I heard good things about other places away from Manila so I'll have to experience that first.
Wang Zhuang 2 months ago
Interesting, I don't remember coming across any rude Filipinos in Manila.
"If people are reacting badly to you, it’s not usually because they are unfriendly, it’s usually because you’ve done something they view as wrong or unusual," King pointed out. "Before you start attacking me for blaming you for someone else being unfriendly, I want you to think about the last time you judged a tourist for doing something you thought was annoying or offensive and how you’d treat that person if they immediately started to talk to you after the offending incident."
"If you’re American and reading this, I want you to think about what you thought or shouted the last time you were driving and someone with an out-of-state license plate did something stupid on the road," he added.
#29
Nicest customer service: Mexico
Friendliest locals: South Africa, Southern USA
Worst customer service: Russia
Least friendly locals: Northeastern USA.
What do you think ?
Pollywog 2 months ago
So.....everywhere is awesome and sucks simultaneously!! This list isn't very helpful at all. I think I'll go visit with penguins on Antarctica!! 🐧💜
Pb&J 2 months ago
The purpose of this list was not to help you find your next destination ticket. It was to share the experience of others while also providing a heads up. Also penguins are adorable and I would 10/10 go with you.
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Tinu 2 months ago
I don't know why people are surprised that people from the USA nice, like that is what they're known for (don't downvote please) :)
Auntriarch 2 months ago
I loved it, didn't have a single bad experience, even in the city (Chicago)
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Pollywog 2 months ago
So.....everywhere is awesome and sucks simultaneously!! This list isn't very helpful at all. I think I'll go visit with penguins on Antarctica!! 🐧💜
Pb&J 2 months ago
The purpose of this list was not to help you find your next destination ticket. It was to share the experience of others while also providing a heads up. Also penguins are adorable and I would 10/10 go with you.
Load More Replies... Tinu 2 months ago
I don't know why people are surprised that people from the USA nice, like that is what they're known for (don't downvote please) :)
Auntriarch 2 months ago
I loved it, didn't have a single bad experience, even in the city (Chicago)
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