Top 10 Friendliest Countries in the World
October 29th, 2009 by KatieLike a warm welcome when you travel? Check out this list of the top 10 friendliest countries in the world and feel the foreign love!
I got caught in the rain today and a man gave me his umbrella. Not a cheap, plastic one but a nice one with colors and a wooden handle.
It made me feel warm and fuzzy. It’s nice when strangers are friendly for no reason.
Even nicer when you’re thousands of miles from home and maybe feeling a bit lonely and fed up.
Want to feel warm and fuzzy when you travel? Check out Lonely Planet’s list of the Top 10 Friendliest Countries in the World,* and stay dry across the globe!
1. Ireland
2. USA
3. Malawi
4. Fiji
5. Indonesia
6. Vietnam
7. Samoa
8. Thailand
9. Scotland
10. Turkey
Who’s been to Ireland? Got more friendly stranger stories? Disagree with this list? Post up your comments below, we want to hear from you.
If you liked this you might also like: Top 10 Happiest Countries in the World
*List taken from the Lonely Planet Bluelist: Best in Travel 2008
Tags: destination ideas, Fiji, friendliest countries world, friendliest people world, Indonesia, Ireland, Malawi, Samoa, scotland, thailand, Turkey, USA, vietnam
October 29th, 2009 at 1:12 pm
Of the places I’ve been to, I think that is a fairly good list. In the US, I think it depends on where you go. You certainly don’t get an overwhelming sense of friendliness in New York or Los Angeles. I’d add Denmark to the list.
October 29th, 2009 at 5:03 pm
This is a crappy list. USA as number 2, please find a better list
October 29th, 2009 at 6:42 pm
Yes I noticed the people in Ireland were quite friendly (at least coming from England where nobody will even look you in the eyes). However I’m pretty shocked Australia didn’t make it into the top ten. Along with Americans they have to be the most outgoing people out there!
October 29th, 2009 at 11:41 pm
Yeah, Im right there with you Stephanie, Australian people are pretty nice people.
October 30th, 2009 at 12:16 am
No Canucks? Really?
October 30th, 2009 at 12:45 am
Like Carrie I am puzzled that Canada isn’t in the list.
October 31st, 2009 at 4:20 pm
I’m always surprised to find Scotland on these types of lists. It must mean people in other countries are really unfriendly.
November 2nd, 2009 at 11:06 am
I think Costa Rica should be on this list — I was blown away by the friendliness!
November 2nd, 2009 at 12:15 pm
The irish are certainly not number one… never met such a bunch of idle, drunk, witless, idiots in all my travels. More likely to punch you than be friendly. Americans are your friends only so long as you have money in your pocket and the onyl people who truly deserve to be on the list – Australians – are not there!! This list sucks….
November 19th, 2009 at 4:21 pm
I am just suprised no south american country is in the list, specially Brasil, we are warmth and very friendly people!
November 29th, 2009 at 11:37 am
USA really? no Canada tho? bias.
November 29th, 2009 at 2:35 pm
Japan ought to be up there too. I’ve been living here for 4 months and I never get tired of the amount of smiling faces and cheerful greetings I get on a daily basis. It’s a great place to visit
November 29th, 2009 at 8:27 pm
i can beleive Canada isnt on here at all…especially if the states is on here
November 30th, 2009 at 4:53 pm
We Irish are better at the fake friendliness than the Americans, its harder to see through us lol. American friendlyness is like a pain of glass.
November 30th, 2009 at 5:22 pm
I had an Assault Rifle pointed at me last time I was in Northern Ireland.
Not quite that friendly if you ask me.
December 7th, 2009 at 9:43 am
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December 25th, 2009 at 2:02 pm
i think Bahrain should be in the top 10 countries of the world
December 25th, 2009 at 2:14 pm
i was really shocked to see USA in the top 10
December 28th, 2009 at 9:45 am
I live in America, and I think it is a good country. Lots os friendly people. I don’t believe ireland is a friendly country, since they have state-sponsered terrorism.
January 5th, 2010 at 9:29 am
Argentina- super friendly! Chile, not as much.
January 12th, 2010 at 8:55 pm
It’s amazing how traveling with kids makes just about any place friendly. (Maybe the same could be said for dogs.) That being said, I’d go with Indonesia or Vietnam.
January 13th, 2010 at 4:51 pm
Indonesia YES
January 17th, 2010 at 7:52 am
Good information about Turkey keep up the good work.
January 28th, 2010 at 8:56 am
[...] If you liked this you might also like: Top 10 Friendliest Countries in the World. [...]
February 13th, 2010 at 3:39 am
I think the friendliest people in the world are the ones who come to America from third world and war torn countries, leave their hostilities and hatred at the border and assimilate to American culture, work hard and continually raise their standard of living and help one another. They are polite, honest, and always have a smile on their faces. I REALLY LOVE AND RESPECT THEM.
If you have a comment on my statement contact me at:
wes.american.guardian@gmail.com
February 13th, 2010 at 11:29 pm
I’ve travelled through 17 countries… but I have so much more to see and learn. I found the Americans to be wonderful people. And it wasn’t just to get a better tip or push their own business, either. They were genuinely friendly and honest and kind. Especially Phoenix! God bless Arizona! Wonderful, wonderful, kind people. The British upper middle class are sensible and efficient and courteous but Heaven help you if you try to be one of them and aren’t… whereas the ‘ordinary’ folk are brilliant! Jolly and funny and full of energy and fundamental decency. Germans..? Same as the English, although both would resent the comparison. I found Scots to be strong, calm and sentimental. The Welsh are charming – and their women are amongst the world’s most beautiful. Italians? Romans are pushy, loud and full of themselves – Florentines are the epitome of grace and elegance. Japanese – you’ll never find a more polite people, but they are so reserved until you ‘break the ice’, so to speak. After that, they are sensational! The Swiss think they’re better than anyone else, and the only people more snobbish than them were the French. Their men are detestable – I don’t know what their women see in them! How such a people made such magnificent cuisine and art is beyond me.
Most friendliest? While I’d love to say it’s we Australians (and we really are a pretty friendly bunch) I have to go with Wes’ claim: It’s people … people everywhere… who’ve done it tough and want to make a better life in a new country who are the kindest, most decent and ‘friendliest’ of all.