In a recent announcement, the language learning platform Preply revealed its rankings for the “20 Friendliest Cities in Asia 2024,” with Taipei securing the top position. This thriving metropolis outshined popular cities such as Singapore, New Delhi, and Seoul. The rankings were developed using various criteria, including return visitor rates, diversity acceptance, and safety indices.

When assessing these cities, Preply considered key factors such as English language fluency, safety ratings, the likelihood of visitors returning, and the general friendliness towards international tourists. Notably, the criteria also included attitudes toward LGBTQ+ individuals.

In an interesting twist, Taipei has emerged as the frontrunner among celebrated Asian tourist locations. The city garnered a remarkable score of 89 for its friendliness towards foreign visitors, a testament to Taiwan’s progressive visa policies. Furthermore, Taipei received the highest score of 66 for its acceptance of diversity, surpassing other major cities like Bangkok and Tokyo. Its impressive safety rating of 84.55 placed Taipei second in the rankings, just behind Kyoto, Japan. Although English proficiency wasn’t a metric it was assessed on, Taipei excelled in other categories, solidifying its reputation as Asia’s friendliest city.

Singapore followed closely in second place, primarily due to its outstanding English proficiency score of 631. The widespread use of English in Singapore allows foreign travelers to interact with locals effortlessly, enriching their travel experiences without the barrier of language.

New Delhi, Seoul, and Chennai rounded out the top five, taking third through fifth places, respectively. Hong Kong scored a moderate three out of five for friendliness towards foreigners, placing it at 16th in the list. Popular tourist hotspots for Hong Kong residents, such as Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto, ranked 11th, 17th, and 19th respectively, with Shanghai coming in at 14th.

The report also highlighted the “10 Least Friendly Cities in Asia,” with Mandalay in Myanmar, alongside cities in Saudi Arabia and Jakarta in Indonesia, topping this less-than-flattering list. Beijing and Shenzhen in China were also mentioned among the least friendly cities on the continent.