Developed by United States travel platform BookRetreats and Harvard-affiliated psychiatrist Dr. Natalie Dattilo-Ryan, the index analyzes 47 places worldwide.
It evaluates them based on five science-backed rather than the subjective factors usually used to compile so-called happiness indexes, and which critics dismiss as click bait.
This index is based on happy hormones due to sunlight, quality sleep, a healthy diet, time in nature, and physical exercise.
Each factor carries equal weight.
Here are the Southeast Asian destinations in the list.
Singapore
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Garden by the Bay, Singapore, Jan 2019. Photo by Luiz Guimaraes |
Overall, Singapore achieves a holiday happiness score of 49.8 out of 100.
Ranking 25th globally, Singapore shines with strong scores across the index.
The city-state leads the region with generous green space, offering 66.20 sq.m per person in addition to 94 walkable zones.
According to its Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, the city achieved 47% greenery, ranging from nature reserves to urban parks linked by treetop walkways.
Rounding out its appeal with 2,024 annual sunshine hours.
Regarding sleep quality, which is evaluated based on noise and light pollution scores where lower figures indicate better conditions, Singapore recorded a score of 50.00, more than double the lowest (best) pollution score of 22.96 recorded in the index.
The city registered a healthy dining score of 2.4, which represents 2.4% of healthy restaurants available locally, compared to the highest scale of 9.6 found in Athens, Greece.
Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia)
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Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, November 2019. Photo by Meriç Dağlı |
Standing at number 28 on the list, Kuala Lumpur combines convenience with pleasant travel conditions.
The Malaysian capital gets 2,222 hours of sunshine a year.
Data from the World Meteorological Organization shows the city maintains year-round balmy weather with average daily high temperatures of 31 to 33 degrees Celsius and lows of 23 C.
The warm weather gives travelers an ideal setting to explore landmarks and outdoor spaces.
It provides 31.04 sq.m of green space per resident and 83 walking areas and a healthy food score of 2.4, resulting in a happiness index of 46.4.
Bangkok (Thailand)
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Wat Arun temple in Bangkok, Thailand, Nov 2017. Photo by Evan Krause |
Bangkok secures the 29th position, standing out as a vibrant hub for travelers.
The city gets 2,624 hours of sunshine annually and the highest noise and light pollution quality rating of 59.11 in the region.
Visitors can enjoy 300 walking zones and a culinary health score of 4.1.
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration announced plans in August to build a US$29 million landmark pedestrian and bicycle bridge by 2030, expanding green transportation options for residents and tourists alike.
In the event, Bangkok has a holiday happiness score of 45.7.
The happiest destinations featured in the report are Lisbon in Portugal with a happiness score of 70, followed by Helsinki of Finland and the U.S.’s Orlando.