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SafetyScorer

Is New Zealand safe to visit?

New Zealand

New Zealand is one of the most peaceful countries in the world and crime against visitors is rare. The risks are natural and self-inflicted. Earthquakes, volcanoes, floods, sudden alpine weather and unfamiliar winding roads hurt far more tourists than crime does.

High confidence#25 of 196 countriesUpdated
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Homicide rate
1.46 per 100k (2022, UNODC via World Bank)
Road deaths
272 in 2025 (provisional), 5.1 per 100k
Global Peace Index
2nd of 163 (2026)
US advisory
Level 1, normal precautions (April 2026)
UK FCDO
No advice against travel; terrorist attacks "cannot be ruled out"
Main hazards
Earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanoes, floods and landslides
Emergency number
111

How the score breaks down

The overall score is the weighted average of these factors. Scoring rules

  • Violent crime25% of score

    89 out of 100, Excellent

    UNODC data via the World Bank show 1.46 Homicide rateThe number of people killed on purpose each year for every 100,000 residents. It is the most comparable crime figure between countries.More in the glossary people in 2022; the rate moves from year to year in a small population and spiked to 2.28 in 2019. Violence against tourists is rare.

  • Conflict and terrorism20% of score

    95 out of 100, Excellent

    New Zealand ranks 2nd of 163 countries on the 2026 Global Peace IndexAn annual ranking of 163 countries by how peaceful they are, based on conflict, crime, militarisation and political instability.More in the glossary. The FCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary's wording is that terrorist attacks "cannot be ruled out", a lower threat than it gives for the UK, Canada or Australia.

  • Road safety20% of score

    81 out of 100, Good

    Provisional figures show 272 road deaths in 2025, or 5.1 per 100,000 people, the lowest rate since the 1920s (AA, police data). Highways are often narrow, winding and two-lane, and visitors must drive on the left.

  • Health risks15% of score

    90 out of 100, Excellent

    Disease risk is low and care is good. The state accident scheme (ACC) helps pay for treatment of visitors injured in accidents, and UK residents get urgent care under a reciprocal deal. Codeine is Prescription-only medicineA medicine that can be supplied only with a prescription from a doctor or another authorised prescriber.More in the glossary and medicines must be declared on arrival.

  • Natural hazards10% of score

    70 out of 100, Good

    The FCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary says New Zealand sits in a major earthquake zone, with tsunami risk on the coasts and active volcanoes on the North Island. Heavy rain in January 2026 caused landslides in the Bay of Plenty that left eight people dead or missing.

  • Petty crime and scams10% of score

    80 out of 100, Good

    The FCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary says street crime happens in major towns and cities and that thieves target hire cars and camper vans in tourist areas, even when valuables are out of sight. Pickpocketing is uncommon.

Is New Zealand safe to visit?

Yes. New Zealand ranks 2nd of 163 countries on the 2026 Global Peace IndexAn annual ranking of 163 countries by how peaceful they are, based on conflict, crime, militarisation and political instability.More in the glossary, the US State Department rates it Level 1, and the FCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary describes crime levels as generally low. A visitor is far more likely to be hurt by the terrain or the weather than by another person.

The natural world is the catch. The country sits on the boundary of two tectonic plates, has active volcanoes on the North Island, and its mountain weather can turn deadly within hours. Roads are narrow and winding. We score New Zealand 86, just ahead of Australia (85) and below Iceland (92), which has a similar mix of low crime and harsh nature.

Earthquakes, volcanoes and floods

The FCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary puts it plainly: New Zealand is in a major earthquake zone. The 2011 Christchurch earthquake killed 185 people, and the 2016 Kaikoura quake cut the main coastal road on the South Island for more than a year. On the coast, a long or strong quake can be followed by a tsunami within minutes.

Volcanic risk is concentrated on the central North Island and in the Bay of Plenty. In 2019, 22 people died when Whakaari (White Island) erupted while tour groups were on the crater floor. Tours there have stopped, but Tongariro and Ruapehu are popular for hiking and skiing; check GeoNet's volcanic alert level before you go.

Rain is the most frequent danger. In January 2026, record rainfall in the Bay of Plenty set off two landslides that left eight people dead or missing, six of them at a beachside holiday park in Mount Maunganui. Floods and slips often close roads, especially on the Coromandel and the West Coast of the South Island.

The outdoors: weather, rivers and tracks

New Zealand's walking tracks are its main attraction, and they cause the most trouble. On the Tongariro Alpine Crossing or in the Southern Alps, conditions can go from sunshine to snow and gale-force wind in a few hours, any month of the year. Rivers rise quickly after rain and drown trampers trying to cross them.

The FCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary notes that British visitors have died in extreme sports accidents. Bungy jumping, jet boating and skydiving are well regulated, but check the operator is established and that your insurance covers the activity. Before any longer hike, check the Department of Conservation track status and the MetService mountain forecast, leave your plans through AdventureSmart, and hire a personal locator beacon for remote routes.

Roads: winding, two-lane and on the left

New Zealand had 272 road deaths in 2025 on provisional figures, or 5.1 per 100,000 people, the lowest rate since the 1920s. Even so, that is above the UK and Australia. The FCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary notes that highways can be narrow, winding and hilly, and the drives between Queenstown, Milford Sound and the glaciers take longer and demand more concentration than the distances suggest.

Visitors' typical mistakes are drifting to the right after a bend, misjudging one-lane bridges, and driving tired after a long-haul flight. Camper vans are slow and top-heavy in strong wind. Use the slow-vehicle bays, and do not try to drive from Auckland to Wellington in a day straight off the plane.

Crime and health

Crime against visitors is mostly theft from vehicles. The FCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary warns that thieves target hire cars and camper vans in tourist areas, including at trailheads and scenic stops, even when bags are out of sight. Carry passports and valuables with you. Violent crime is uncommon, and the main exception to New Zealand's peaceful record is the 2019 Christchurch mosque attacks, which killed 51 people.

Healthcare is good and disease risk is low. ACC, the state accident scheme, helps cover treatment for injured visitors, and UK residents get urgent care under a reciprocal agreement. Neither covers illness abroad, flights home or lost income, so insurance is still needed. Codeine is Prescription-only medicineA medicine that can be supplied only with a prescription from a doctor or another authorised prescriber.More in the glossary, and you must declare prescription medicines on your arrival card.

How to stay safe in New Zealand

  • Check the MetService forecast and Department of Conservation track alerts every morning before a hike.
  • Do not cross a swollen river; wait for the water to drop or turn back.
  • Never leave anything in a parked hire car or camper van.
  • Learn your hotel's tsunami route if you stay on the coast.
  • Rest for a night before a long drive, and pull over to let queues pass.
  • Call 111 for police, fire or ambulance.

How we scored it

Conflict (95) and health (90) are near the top of our scale, and violent crime (89) is strong. Natural hazards (70) is the weakest factor, reflecting earthquake, volcano and flood exposure. Road safety (81) has improved for three years in a row but is still behind the United Kingdom.

Questions people ask

What should I do if there is an earthquake in New Zealand?

Drop, cover and hold until the shaking stops, as the New Zealand government advises. If you are on the coast and the quake is long or strong enough to make standing hard, go to high ground or inland at once without waiting for an official warning. Follow the National Emergency Management Agency and local civil defence pages for updates.

Is it safe to hike in New Zealand?

Yes, with preparation. Weather in the mountains can turn from sun to snow in hours, even in summer, and rivers rise fast after rain. Check the forecast and track conditions with the Department of Conservation, leave your plans with someone through AdventureSmart, and carry a personal locator beacon on remote tracks.

Is New Zealand safe for solo female travellers?

Yes, it is one of the easier countries to travel alone. Crime levels are low and hostels and campsites are used to solo travellers. Take normal care at night in central Auckland and Wellington, and tell someone your route before driving or hiking in remote areas where phone coverage is patchy.

Do I need travel insurance if New Zealand has ACC?

Yes. ACC helps pay for treatment after an accident in New Zealand, but it does not cover illness, flights home, lost income or cancelled travel. UK visitors can get urgent care under the reciprocal agreement, but not routine treatment or prescriptions. Insurance fills those gaps.

Is driving in New Zealand dangerous for tourists?

It is harder than it looks on the map. Most highways are two-lane, winding and hilly, with one-lane bridges and gravel shoulders, so journeys take longer than expected. Drive on the left, give way at one-lane bridges as signed, use the slow-vehicle bays, and plan rest stops rather than trying to cover long distances in a day.

Sources

  1. 1.Road deaths stay at lowest levels since the 1920s (opens in a new tab) · New Zealand Automobile Association, 2026
  2. 2.Intentional homicides (per 100,000 people) – New Zealand (opens in a new tab) · World Bank / UNODC, 2026
  3. 3.Global Peace Index 2026 (opens in a new tab) · Institute for Economics and Peace, 2026
  4. 4.New Zealand travel advice (opens in a new tab) · UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, 2026
  5. 5.New Zealand Travel Advisory (opens in a new tab) · US Department of State, 2026
  6. 6.Eight people have been killed or are missing in two landslides triggered by heavy rainfall in New Zealand (opens in a new tab) · Eos (American Geophysical Union), 2026
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