Is New Zealand safe?
Here’s what visitors should know
Relatively speaking, New Zealand is a very safe country to visit.
I’m a New Zealander and I’ve travelled the country extensively, including living out of my van for three months.
I’ve also travelled to more than 70 countries around the world, visiting places like the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Nicaragua, and Guatemala — mostly on my own.
I know what it’s like to worry about staying safe while travelling, so here are my insights and experience of travelling in New Zealand.
jump ahead.
Key takeaways
New Zealand is generally a peaceful, safe place to visit.
If things go wrong, New Zealand has good systems in place to help you, including the police, Victim Support, and ACC (which can help cover medical costs from accidents).
Most dangers in New Zealand are related to the outdoors, so water and mountain safety are very important.
Is New Zealand safe to visit?
New Zealand is one of the safest countries in the world, so it’s a great place to travel. The overall crime rate is low, and New Zealanders are typically welcoming and trusting toward foreigners.
New Zealand typically sits at the top of the Global Peace Index, indicating a high level of safety and security similar to other top spot holders like Iceland, Denmark, Slovenia and Portugal.
Why is New Zealand so safe?
New Zealand is safe because the government is stable and comparatively uncorrupt — Transparency International’s 2022 Corruption Perception Index ranks New Zealand as the second least corrupt country in the world, along with Finland and right behind Denmark.
On top of this, our culture promotes diversity and equality. As a people, New Zealanders value ‘fair play’, honesty and trust.
A small population of around 5 million also means a low population density which helps to keep crime rates low. Compared to many places, New Zealand communities experience little violence.
So, this means you can mostly feel safe and comfortable visiting New Zealand.
Common safety issues in New Zealand
While New Zealand is safe for visitors on the whole, and crime rates are low, it’s not completely crime free.
There are some things it’s useful to be aware of when travelling here.
Rental car break ins and theft
There is a small chance that your rental car might get broken into while travelling around New Zealand.
According to insurance data, the Toyota Aqua is apparently the most frequently stolen car in New Zealand, followed by the Mazda Demio.
These cars are apparently also common targets for break ins, as the windows are easy to bust open.
There’s not a great deal you can do to protect yourself against rental car break in and theft, except to try and keep your belongings hidden as much as possible, and make sure you have insurance for your vehicle.
In Auckland, I live on a nice street in the upmarket neighbourhood of Ponsonby, and my flatmate’s car was still broken into (we only have on street parking) because he left some builder’s tools visible on the back seat.
I travelled around New Zealand extensively in my van though, and despite having my entire world inside (I was working remotely), was never broken into. I did have tinted windows and would take care to never leave my laptop or other valuables in sight.
I also used to work for Jucy, the car and campervan rental company, and break-ins were rarely reported.
It’s almost unavoidable to leave your vehicle parked overnight in remote areas if you plan on going on multi-day hikes, or even long day hikes, so the best you can do is hide any valuables and try to avoid the worst areas.
I did once return from a day hike in Lewis Pass in the South Island to see a group whose car had all the windows smashed in — apparently that car park had no security cameras and was a common place for thieves.
One tip is to look for crystals of shattered glass on the ground at remote car parks. If you can see glass, it likley means there have been break ins there before.
And as always, it’s best to have insurance.
Make sure your travel insurance covers your rental car excess — this means you don’t need to take out the expensive excess reduction policies offered by rental car companies.
Petty theft
Person to person robbery (as in, pick pocketing or mugging) is uncommon in New Zealand.
But unfortunately, petty robberies do happen in New Zealand if thieves see an opportunity.
I’m usually very laid back about leaving my things lying around, like when I go for a swim at the beach alone and leave my belongings on my towel.
And I’m not the only one. Being the laid back bunch we are, in small towns I sometimes see people leave their car windows down while they pop into the shops for a few minutes.
However, I have heard that people have had phones stolen this way.
One of my friends had his wallet and phone stolen from a pair of shorts he left next to his van while he was changing out of his wetsuit after a surf.
It’s difficult for a solo traveller in particular, but it does pay to keep an eye on your stuff.
If you do get robbed, you can make an incident report online, or by calling 105.
Road safety
The easiest way to get around New Zealand is in a rental vehicle.
But, one of the most dangerous things you can do in New Zealand is drive a car.
That sounds like fear mongering, but if you’re coming from overseas and used to driving on the right hand side, switching to the left and getting used to New Zealand’s narrow roads can be tough.
Add to that fatigue from jet lag and long flights, and you can have a recipe for disaster.
There have been some terrible accidents on New Zealand’s roads in the past, from tourists pulling out onto the wrong side of the road, or driving while tired.
Some tips for safe driving in New Zealand
Try not to drive for more than four hours at a time. Distances in New Zealand can be longer than you expect so break up your trip and make rest stops.
Feel free to drive slowly (I do!) but try and let traffic behind you pass when possible.
If the weather is crazy, adjust your plans. Heavy rain is common in New Zealand, and strong winds can blow larger vehicles like campervans off the road.
Water safety
While there are no dangerous animals in New Zealand, our natural landscapes themselves can sometimes be dangerous.
New Zealand has many beaches, rivers and lakes, which are wonderful for swimming in the summer.
Sadly, there are drownings every summer, caused by strong river or lake currents, and rips in the ocean.
In Glenorchy, two men drowned within weeks of each other in the summer of 2023 after being pulled underwater by a strong current from the river meeting the Wakitipu lake.
To stay safe in the water:
Always try to swim between the flags when you’re at the beach. Life guards only actively monitor these areas and choose the safest part of the beach for swimming, with no rips.
If there are no flags or lifeguards, ask locals (you can ask at local cafes or shops when you get your morning coffee) or pay attention to where they are swimming.
Pay attention to any warning signs by rivers and beaches — dangerous spots will often have some notices nearby.
It also helps to understand rips, and identify them. If you see a quiet channel of water where surfers are entering the water, that’s probably a rip (surfers use rips to their advantage to get behind the break).
Check the Safeswim website to find safe beaches for swimming. Safeswim notes water quality in different areas, any hazards that might be present, and posts when lifeguards are available at specific beaches.
A note about ram raids in New Zealand
Since 2020, ram raids have started to become more frequent in New Zealand.
Ram raids are when people, usually teenagers younger than 18, steal cars and drive them into retail stores.
The ram raids in New Zealand are thought to be influenced by social media, and poor socio-economic circumstances. They are a symptom of larger issues in New Zealand society.
Because of the spike in ram raids, you might hear locals talk about how youth crime is out of control, and see more protective measures put in place by retail stores.
However, as a visitor to New Zealand, ram raids won’t affect you. It doesn’t mean that New Zealand is unsafe after dark — it’s just an indication that issues like systemic racism and in-equal distribution of wealth are present in New Zealand.
Is Auckland safe?
As New Zealand’s biggest city. and home to more than 25% of the population, Auckland can be more intimidating than small, quiet towns.
Auckland CBD is safe to walk around earlier in the evening, but I wouldn’t walk around after 11pm. I don’t like Queen Street late on a Friday or Saturday night — it’s not unusual to hear bottles breaking and people fighting.
I also find the Viaduct a bit hectic later in the evening, with the number of people around there drinking heavily.
However, overall Auckland is a safe city. I’m comfortable walking around Karangahape Road or Ponsonby Road in the night time, hopping between bars and restaurants.
In the central areas of the city you’re unlikely to encounter any pick pockets or other crime.
Take the same precautions you would in your home town. You don’t need to hide your phone or your jewellery, but if you feel uncomfortable walking in any areas, follow your instincts and stick to the main thoroughfares.
Is New Zealand safe for LGBTQI+ people?
New Zealand is overall an accepting place for queer people.
Having freedom of expression is important for New Zealanders, and that translates into sexuality. While smaller, more rural areas can still be quite conservative, the bigger towns are more open.
Gay rights and visibility aren’t perfect, but are improving all the time.
Sex between men in New Zealand was decriminalised in 1986, and gay marriage was made legal in 2013.
Every year, Auckland has a Big Gay Out festival, as well as a Rainbow Parade that celebrates diversity and inclusion.
As the biggest city, Auckland has the most notable queer scene.
You’ll find the best gay nightlight on Karangahape Road, which has been the traditional home of queer people since the 1970s. You can’t miss the rainbow coloured cross walk on Karangahape Road.
There are plenty of queer club nights around this area, as well as drag cabarets.
Is it safe to travel alone in a campervan?
If you’re travelling solo, you might be a little worried about camping on your own, especially if you’re a woman.
It can be a little scary setting up to sleep in remote places in a campervan — or even in a town for that matter.
There are occasional horror stories, like the tragedy of the couple murdered in Raglan.
These incidents are freak one offs though. I travelled New Zealand for about three months alone in my van. I mostly parked in car parks and freedom camps and never had major safety issues.
There was one time in Westport when some local youths fired fireworks at my van and a few others parked by the beach, but I stayed inside with my doors locked and they eventually left.
The only real concern of being in a van is that you might end up in a location without mobile phone reception. This could make getting help tricky if you have a flat tire or other calamity.
As long as there are other people around, though, you should be fine. One time on Ninety Mile Beach, the van I was driving got stuck in the sand.
A local man stopped and without a word pulled out a tow rope and hitched to my van to pull me out of the hole I had literally dug for myself.
If you do feel uncomfortable travelling alone in a campervan, I recommend staying in paid campgrounds instead of freedom campsites.
Freedom camping areas are often just car parks in towns or close to the beach, so people can walk right past your camper and peer in the windows if they wanted.
If you stay at a DOC campground or other camping area, you will be more removed from passersby (no one has ever done anything weird while I’ve been in my campervan in DOC sites).
Is New Zealand friendly to foreigners?
New Zealanders are typically friendly and open-minded, giving foreigners a warm welcome. You’ll find most New Zealanders love to chat and appreciate when visitors are open-minded in return.
Having said that, there are some hot-button issues in New Zealand that can cause some tension between locals and visitors.
Chief among these is how people treat nature. In New Zealand, we have a very deep and strong connection with nature.
This means that if we see visitors disrespecting or devaluing nature, it will be met with anger. Tourists going to the toilet in public places, leaving litter behind stir up animosity.
This is why there can be some strong feelings toward people who freedom camp.
If you treat New Zealand with respect, and act as a kaitiaki, or a guardian, of our natural world, you will be welcomed with open arms.
Is New Zealand dangerous?
New Zealand is safer than many other countries in the world, but it can still sometimes have its dangers.
Like many countries, there is a risk of natural disasters in New Zealand. There’s volcanic activity, faultlines running across the South Island that are due to go off any day now, and increasingly intense flooding and weather events.
There is a small chance you’ll get caught up in events beyond your control, like when the Kaikoura earthquake cut off the town and trapped tourists there for days.
Then there’s White Island.
The White Island tragedy was horrifying for us — that will always be one of those days that everyone remembers where they were and what they were doing when they heard the news.
There was a real sense of devastation that this had happened, but especially to visitors to New Zealand. As New Zealanders, we’re so proud of our country and love to welcome people here. That a happy trip can end so tragically is truly devastating.
Ultimately, terrible things can happen anywhere, anytime. The best thing you can do is take out a travel insurance policy to make sure you have good medical coverage.
If things do go wrong, you can feel secure knowing that we have good support systems in place in New Zealand to help you through any disasters.
In the case of an attack, Victim Support can help.
Victim Support provides a free, nationwide support for anyone affected by crime in New Zealand. That includes financial assistance for victims of serious crime, which might look like helping you with short-term accommodation if you’re assaulted, for example.
If you’re injured, ACC can help cover the cost of treatment while you’re in New Zealand.
Visiting the emergency room in hospital is mostly free.
And when the sh** does hit the fan, New Zealanders are generally ready to help you out. If you need emergency places to stay,
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