Ever Thought Of Using A Dating App In A Foreign Country? These Real Experiences Reveal What It's Really Like

Dating apps—the phrase alone is enough to make most young people sigh. It instantly brings to mind endless swiping, half-hearted conversations, ghosting, breadcrumbing and the exhausting cycle of trying to find something meaningful in a sea of profiles. Count me in too. After countless left and right swipes, one thing has become increasingly clear: the enthusiasm for dating apps in India seems to be on the decline. But the curiosity about using them abroad is growing stronger than ever.

Perhaps it is the promise of meeting people outside your usual social circles. Perhaps it is the excitement of experiencing a different dating culture altogether. Or maybe, when you're travelling, you're more open to conversations, to strangers and to possibilities. Whatever the reason, dating apps are becoming an unexpected way to explore not just people, but cities, cultures and experiences.

So what is it really like dating in a foreign country? Is it safer? Is it more intentional? Which apps actually work? And what are the unexpected pitfalls no one talks about? After scrolling through countless travel vlogs, TikToks and Instagram reels romanticising holiday flings and overseas meet-cutes, we decided to skip the algorithms and speak to people who have actually lived the experience. Their stories reveal that dating abroad is far more than finding romance—it often becomes a window into a city's culture, customs and everyday life.

When in Boston

“I was in Boston for two years, and the dating culture there felt vastly different from what I had experienced in India. I went on dates with both Indian Americans and Americans, and even between those groups, there were noticeable differences in expectations, communication styles, and approaches to relationships, “ says Saumya Rastogi, an independent journalist.

One of the first things she noticed was how direct people were. In the United States, the dating culture is based on clear communication. Expectations are discussed openly, boundaries are respected, and intentions are rarely left ambiguous. There are fewer mixed signals, fewer guessing games and certainly less decoding of cryptic messages. Commitment may not arrive immediately, but it is built upon. What’s guaranteed is honesty — no one beats around the bush while showing romantic interest.  Instead of wondering whether someone is interested, conversations tend to answer that question early on.

Dating apps naturally become the starting point for most relationships. In cities like Boston, where work schedules are demanding and people lead busy lives, the idea of a spontaneous meet-cute can feel like mythical. “Among young South Asians, Hinge is probably the most popular because it is perceived as relationship-oriented. Bumble and Tinder remain widely used, while Dil Mil has developed something of a cult following among South Asians looking for partners who share similar cultural backgrounds,” she explains. “What’s interesting is that dating abroad is often less 'closed-circle' than in India, but not entirely detached from community network.”  While technology may initiate the introduction, cultural familiarity still quietly influences many connections.

When in the Netherlands

If American dating values transparency, the Dutch seem to value efficiency. "In the Netherlands, there is an app called Breeze. They handpick eight to ten profiles once in the morning, once in the evening, and you can choose from those,” says a Bengaluru-based brand marketer.

Unlike most dating apps, Breeze is designed to minimise endless chatting. Once two people agree to meet, the app immediately charges €11 to lock in the meeting, encouraging users to think twice before swiping right simply out of curiosity. That payment also comes with a pleasant surprise. The first drink is already covered by the app, eliminating the age-old awkward question of who picks up the bill. Even better, the venue is organised in advance. At participating pubs, people arrive to find their names displayed on placards beside the name of their date, with reserved seating managed entirely through the platform.

As the evening unfolded, her Dutch date took her walking through Amsterdam, explaining the city's narrow canal houses, their distinctive architecture and the stories hidden behind their facades. The experience transformed into an informal city tour, one she still cherishes. 

When in Chantilly

Her dating adventures did not end in Amsterdam. "In Paris, I met Julien," she recalls. "Instead of meeting in Paris, he suggested I visit Chantilly, where he lived, about 20 kilometres away." It was a detour that completely changed her perception of France.

Chantilly, known for the beautiful castle, Château de Chantilly, situated around a lake, lined with trees on both sides, was nothing short of dreamy. Having taken a chance of going astray from her planned route, she also got to experience the museums and the ambience outside the hustle of Paris.

The setting in Chantilly gave her a perfect place to slow down and experience the hospitality of the Frenchmen and their culture outside the "hyped" facets. Because sometimes, dating someone local becomes the perfect excuse to venture off the tourist trail. When asked which dating apps worked best in Europe, she says, "In France and Switzerland, Hinge worked very well. Quite a few people interacted with me and wanted to meet."

When in Fiji

Not every destination tells the same story.

"On dating apps, I got to meet tourists from all different parts of the world, but mostly from America, Australia and New Zealand because Fiji gets tourists from those places," says Anahita Nair, Director of Marketing, Hospitality.

Living in a tourist destination like Fiji for a year meant entering an entirely different dating ecosystem. Unlike metropolises like Paris and Boston, where people come to make their lives, in Fiji, her dates came at the cost of short-lived connections and romances that would fizzle as the distance grew. Most people she met were travellers passing through, making every connection feel both exciting and temporary.

"I matched with this really cute guy from Canada on Bumble. He was a solo traveller on a six-month holiday from Canada. Fiji was, like, the stopover," she says. What followed was a whirlwind of a romantic week — a private island excursion, boat rides and sunset dinners that looked straight out of a travel brochure. But it caught Anahita in an emotional entanglement that lasted longer than the tourist's stay. "We went to a private island, and that was very pretty. Touristy things were going on the boat, and it was so romantic. After that connection fizzled, I went on a few more dates with people in Fiji, but mostly we just went out for dinner in the evenings," she says. For hopeless romantics, tourist destinations can be an emotional endurance test. Every beginning comes with an expiry date, and every goodbye feels inevitable.

Perhaps that is what makes dating abroad so fascinating. It exists on a spectrum. Dating abroad is a spectrum; For some, it can be the love story you've been waiting for or for others, a brief escape from modern-day bustle. But one thing is for sure: no matter how long a connection lasts, you get to have worthwhile memories.

In the end, you find the escape either in a person or in exploring the city you have long romanticised from a distance. Dating internationally becomes a romance between you and the city, and the limerence that follows afterwards. Long after the conversations fade and the matches disappear, it is those memories, and the cities that hold them, that stay with you.