Hello Forum,
First time international traveller here 
I have never been outside of the US, but have had an itch ever since I watched National Geographic to travel to New Zealand. None of my family has ever left the United States making me the first in my family to travel! I am very worried that this destination is so far away, being so far away from my family and friends, to ease my mind, I am reaching out here to see what experiences anyone has had in destination, what safety recommendations there are, if anyone has any advise on where to go, what to see, safety recommendations and just general travel advice!
2 Likes
Hi @ian - wow, how exciting to plan your first international travels!
I have been to NZ 5 or 6 times (when I used to live in Australia). In my opinion it is an extremely safe country and I think it is generally considered one of the safest countries in the world with a very low crime rate. Also, compared to Australia with the snakes and spiders - the wildlife there is tame and harmless too! (Fun fact - no snakes live on NZ!)
Of course, wherever you live or travel, you should be somewhat vigilant, avoid certain areas in the major cities (South Auckland for example - which as a tourist it is unlikely you would ever want to go to anyway). But overall, I would not at all be concerned about safety of NZ itself.
If you’re worried about travelling alone, the best thing I recommend is looking up some group tours, this way you’ll be with other travellers and get a guide who can show yo around and support you. This way you won’t be alone and miss your family so much! But I’m sure they’d love to catch up with you online whilst your their and you can send them pics of your travels.
If you saw it on Nat Geo, I assume it would be the south island that inspired you to look into this. It is stunning, absolutely, with jaw dropping scenery, glaciers, lakes, mountains - beautiful! But don’t miss out on the North Island too, it has it’s own charm, there is more Māori culture, as well as some beautiful beaches (Cathedral Cover). Don’t miss Rotorua it’s known for it’s geothermal activity - think bubbling mud, geysers and bright green lakes, is like being in another world!
Depending on how much time you have I would research tours that go to both islands (NZ is a pretty small country compared ti US so it does not take too much time to travel across), they will list out different itineraries based on their experience of what travellers love to see and do the best! Then you can see which one you find most exciting!
Good luck, and have an amazing time on your first trip - very exciting for you!