Red Mosquito

Rangi Guy wrote: Tue June 09, 2026 6:03 pm

contamination wrote: Tue June 09, 2026 3:14 pm World's safest countries: https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/2026 ... s-for-2026

2. New Zealand
Ranked second (up from third in 2025), New Zealand is the safest country in the Asia-Pacific region, with the region's lowest ongoing-conflict score. Its improvement came largely from a fall in weapons imports, and it remains one of the world's safest and least militarised nations.

Much of that peace comes down to geography. "Being this far from everywhere means New Zealand has largely avoided the geopolitical mess that drags other nations into conflict," said Warwick Woodley, a New Zealand citizen and founder of NZ Golden Visa. But he sees something in the culture too. People tend to be relaxed and straightforward, he said, "generally more interested in getting on with things than stirring the pot".

Safety here is so ordinary that it rarely registers. "Most people don't think about it much, which is probably the best indicator that it's generally not a concern," Woodley said. "Guns aren't part of everyday life here, and after Christchurch, the laws got even tighter." Neighbourhoods still function as neighbourhoods, he added, where people know each other and look out for one another. "That sense of accountability goes a long way in a country of five million, where anonymity is harder to come by."

Its sparse population also means easy access to nature. "Mountains, beaches and bush walks are all within reach depending on where you are," said Woodley. "Life doesn't feel like it's constantly running away from you the way it does in some of the bigger, busier countries."

I'd love to visit there one day.

Book it! We have a spare room you can crash in!

spike wrote: Wed June 10, 2026 12:03 am Bro, Air New Zealand can turn a row of seat into a bed now.