According to a new survey of 3,100 expatriates conducted by HSBC Bank, Malaysia receives very impressive marks when it comes to things such as ‘organizing personal finances,’ ‘finding somewhere to live’ and ‘organizing personal health care.’ It landed at the top spot amongst all countries polled for ‘organizing school for one’s children;’ great news for families interested in relocating here.

HSBC’s Expat Explorer survey was conducted between February and April 2009. Survey respondents were from the US, Europe and other countries and lived in more than two-dozen countries and on four continents. They ranked their new homes based on 23 factors, including food, entertainment, health care, commute and education. Of those measures, HSBC selected eight to create its so-called “integration score;” a depiction of which countries are most welcoming to expats.

Malaysia has long been known as an extremely welcoming destination for travelers, and HSBC’s survey only confirms that fact. Upon arrival, visitors are always amazed at the upbeat and welcoming nature of the locals. Be it the guesthouse staff, the taxi and trishaw drivers, the people in the restaurants and on the streets, Malaysia is an incredible place to visit.

Further enhancing Malaysia’s ranking as one of the world’s friendliest and most attractive destinations, is its multi-ethnic population; one of the most diverse in all of Asia! Typified by various major ethnic groups, including Malays, Chinese and Indians, Malaysian’s pride themselves on being a nation of unity amongst all peoples.

Here’s a list of the ‘Top 10’ countries from HSBC’s survey, in which Malaysia ranked 5th:
1 Bahrain
2 Canada
3 Australia
4 Thailand
5 Malaysia
6 South Africa
7 Hong Kong
8 Singapore
9 Spain 1
10 United States