A European traveller has set off a heated online debate after declaring Singapore the "rudest place" she visited during her Asia trip — a claim that quickly divided netizens.
Taking to the r/SingaporeTravel subreddit on Sunday, February 15, the woman did not mince her words. "Singapore was, hands down, the rudest place we visited in Asia," she wrote. "And before anyone jumps in: No, this wasn't just us being difficult, clueless, rude tourists. We travelled through China, Japan, and Malaysia with zero issues. Singapore was the outlier."
In her detailed post, she alleged that many frontline staff she encountered were "disrespectful and, honestly, sexist as hell," claiming they frequently addressed her partner instead of her. "I'd ask a question, and they'd answer him instead, or just cut me off completely. Female staff, especially, would be all smiles and friendly toward him while acting like I didn't exist."
She also described what she perceived as a lack of basic courtesy, saying greetings such as "hi," "thank you," or "bye" were often met with silence. On some occasions, she claimed they were waved off with a dismissive "yeah, yeah" gesture.
"It's like we were being annoying just for existing. Being polite almost seemed to make people feel more comfortable treating us poorly," she wrote.
Beyond service interactions, the traveller alleged broader issues related to gender and race. "We noticed this not only in daily interactions but even on our flight back with Singapore Airlines, with staff clearly prioritising white passengers and men. We were treated kindly, but seeing it while others were spoken to more abruptly or ignored, it made us uncomfortable."
While acknowledging that not every interaction was negative, she maintained the pattern was too frequent to ignore. "Before anyone says, 'Not everyone is like that,' yes, we met some nice people, but the pattern was frequent enough to feel real, especially when compared to neighbouring countries where people were consistently respectful and welcoming."
Concluding her post, she wrote, "So yeah. Singapore was a shock—rude, dismissive, and with some very weird gender and race dynamics that we didn't expect at all."
Her remarks quickly drew a flood of responses, with some users saying they could relate.
One commenter wrote, "Yeah. Singaporeans aren't the nicest even to their fellow Singaporeans, haha. The service crew I hate most are the student interns. Hot-headed, service is bad, and when they get overwhelmed, they talk back."
Another added, "Welcome to stress island. All that you've seen before, it's all marketing."
A third user shared a similar sentiment, "I just moved from Japan to Singapore, and yes, I've experienced the rudest change ever. It's like a heavy environment and general rudeness in the air. I've met some nice people, but overall, rude answers, rude looks, and angry faces."
However, others strongly disagreed, insisting their experiences in Singapore had been positive.
"I'm a Caucasian USA guy and have been to Singapore a few times. I have always been treated very well. I found Singapore to be warm and welcoming," one wrote.
Another commenter suggested cultural differences may play a role. "Singaporeans don't act like other subservient Asians whose livelihood depends on tourism. Some might find it rude or unfriendly, but I find it totally understandable; they are simply too busy with their own lives to notice you and give you special attention."
The same user added, "Once you get to know them better, though, they are the most down-to-earth, endearing kind of people. I also strongly disagree that Singaporeans are sexist. That's probably induced from your prejudice about what Asians are like."
The viral thread has since reignited conversations about service culture, stress levels and social expectations in the city-state — raising a broader question: Is Singapore truly unfriendly, or simply misunderstood?
