Travellers in Southeast Asia named littering and spitting as the most umpleasant beach and pool misdemeanours with teenagers and young adults as the main culprits, according to aTripAdvisor survey.

This was the response from about 70% of the respondents to the company’s beach and pool etiquette survey conducted with 900 travellers from Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia. However, nearly all (95%) have never or rarely asked them to stop behaving rudely.

“As travellers prepare to flock to the beach and pool this holiday season it will be good to be aware of what exactly makes other beach- and pool-goers tick,” said Jean Ow-Yeong, TripAdvisor spokesperson. “This ensures that everyone can have some fun in the sun harmoniously.”

“Reserving” chairs

• 82% cannot tolerate those who save beachside or poolside chairs by leaving their belongings on them.

• 71% maintain that they never do so while 22 percent rarely do so.

Suntan camaraderie

• 36% feel that it is their responsibility to inform those who have a sunburnt while 41% think that it is none of their

business.

Personal space on the sand

• 24% feel the closest acceptable distance to sit next to another stranger on a crowded beach is three feet (0.9 metres),

20% think it should be two feet (0.6 metres), while 15% say four feet (1.2 metres) is more comfortable.

• On non-crowded beaches 27% consider three to six feet (0.9 to 1.8 metres) to be the closest acceptable distance to sit

next to a fellow beach-goer, 25% feel it should be seven to ten feet (2.1 to 3 metres), while 19% say twenty feet (6.1

metres) is appropriate.

Travellers oppose waterside smoking and shower-skipping

• 71% think smoking should be prohibited at the beach and pool.

• 28% and 7% feel there is no problem smoking at the beach and pool respectively.

• 58% consider it a breach of etiquette for not rinsing off before entering the pool, with 60% and 24% who always and

often do so respectively.

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