The most welcoming people? (page 4 of 8)

Good evening, yes, I agree—the Malaysians are pretty friendly, even more so than the Singaporeans. Because in Singapore, sometimes you get a totally detestable and appalling welcome. I don’t know if it’s a difference in standard of living... Anyway, yes, generally Malaysians are welcoming, especially in Sarawak.

Thanks everyone, Mathews, yes, Sarawak, but it’s not the most visited—it’s still the mainland or nearby island! I’d love to go someday... 🙂

hi Midounette69, you're welcome. And when it comes to the "unfriendly people," are you talking about the folks from the Hexagon? 😎😎 No, I’ll stop—have a great Sunday, everyone!

Back from Myanmar, I’d rank this country at the top of my list for the most welcoming people. It’s been a while since I’ve encountered such warmth and kindness toward foreigners. Could their deep Buddhist faith have something to do with it? The country isn’t overrun by mass tourism yet, so I hope it doesn’t change too quickly.

I didn’t know Ukrainians were so welcoming.

Not necessarily at first glance...

That’s fair, but if you don’t mind, I’d slightly qualify your point. 🙂 The first contact we have with "locals" usually happens in public spaces. However, behavior in public spaces varies greatly from one country to another, even from one region to another. What a French person, for example, might perceive as coldness, indifference, or even aggression often just reflects local customs regarding public behavior. That "first impression" can be heavily skewed by cultural differences, leading us to misinterpret what’s actually normal behavior there.

So, it really depends on what we mean by "welcoming." Are we talking about the "initial welcome," meaning the general vibe you get while walking down the street? Or are we referring to people who, once you’ve actually engaged with them, show warmth, willingness to help, and genuine kindness?

As someone who’s traveled a lot in the former Soviet countries, I’m not sure if Ukrainians would fit the first definition from the perspective of someone visiting Ukraine without knowing the social codes. But I can confidently say that many—if not the vast majority—of them definitely fit the second definition.

Totally agree!

Being more and more used to Slavic countries, I know what to expect in public spaces, and it doesn’t shock me (well, some people are colder than others...). Let’s just say it’s not for everyone, but since I’m not a fan of big displays of affection and don’t find it easy to connect at first either, it actually works for me (within limits, of course...).

I still have to discover the Russians! Mostly negative feedback, especially in public spaces (worse than in other Slavic countries, or so I’ve heard).

Adding my two cents :-) My top 3 (recently updated since I was in Sudan last November). It's totally subjective, of course, and there are plenty of other countries where people are super welcoming, but these three are really in a league of their own! 1 - Sudan 2 - Iran 3 - Pakistan You’d almost wonder if the "an" has something to do with it ;-)

Thanks for your comment, and to stay on your topic... Happy New Year... Year! 🙂

I went to Lebanon in 2011, and I found the people closed-off, very self-centered, women arrogant and superficial, men show-offs.... In short, I hated it.

I came across your description of Lebanon in 2011, and I’d swear you’re describing France in 2017...

I went to Lebanon in 2011, and I found the people closed-off, very self-centered, women arrogant and superficial, men show-offs.... In short, I hated it.

I stumbled upon your description of Lebanon from 2011, and I’d swear you’re talking about France in 2017...

My experience: Georgians and Armenians: twelve points!

Good evening everyone,

It's hard to answer this question. It really depends on everyone's experiences. Everywhere you go, you'll find all kinds of people—some welcoming, others less so... But if I had to answer, I’d say (for now):

- Sri Lankans - Malians

Of course, this is just my personal take, based on the amazing memories I have from spending several months there... And I’ll probably be adding India to the list soon, since I’m heading there in January! But obviously, I can’t say for sure yet... 😉

Good evening, yeah I agree. Even though I only spent a short time in Sri Lanka, the people seemed really welcoming.

Hi there,

In Europe: the Belgians! Always ready to help you out. My daughter, who lived there for 4 years, made tons of friends too.

hey, gotta say that Belgians aren’t as confrontational as another neighboring people 😛 It’s Stéphane de Groodt, among others, who says so. And he also says—something I’ve always thought, by the way—that Belgians have a sense of the absurd, the ridiculous side of things. To me, French-speaking Belgians are basically French-speaking Anglo-Saxons. That’s why I really appreciate this people.

Yesterday, someone asked me which Italian city I liked best, and I really struggled to answer. I wanted to say I loved all the Italian cities I’ve visited—the welcome I received each time was wonderful—before changing my mind: in Venice, I got totally ripped off. Isn’t Venice an Italian city? And then, my amazing experiences in other Italian cities mostly happened while hiking the Via Francigena. Did being a walker, or maybe even a "pilgrim" for some, play a happy role in that? If I’d visited Italy with a tour operator dragging me from shop to shop, would I still have such great memories of the country? 😐

For a long time, I couldn’t stop praising the warmth of the Czechs I’d met when their country was still Czechoslovakia. Since then, I’ve encountered Czechs who weren’t particularly warm, which made me tone down my initial enthusiasm. 🤪

This year, I hiked the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) in the U.S. and met so many Americans who were incredibly kind to hikers. Would I have found the same kindness in every corner of the country?

P.S.: I usually love helping lost tourists in Paris as best I can, but recently I almost snapped at a woman asking for directions. I was just tired, stressed, weighed down with stuff, and really needed to pee. 😕

Interesting testimony, thanks. 😉

It teaches us that there’s nowhere we don’t project our own feelings. And since the world is constantly steeped in duality, everything depends on context. A context we perceive as pleasant will be illustrated by people who seem "welcoming." A context we perceive as unpleasant, on the other hand, will show a population that seems "unfriendly."

But all of this is purely subjective, since it’s the result of our perception. A projection of who we are in the moment, seeing through our eyes at that time. And so, of course, a perception that differs from one person to another. Different and unique to each individual.

So how can we truly define what’s "welcoming" and what’s not? We’re all unique in how we perceive the world. And at the same time, each of us has different life paths and experiences. Your examples, Ludomero, really illustrate what I’ve just been talking about...

For me, Guadeloupe and Dominica