Few places hold the magic and mystique like the rolling hills and azure blue lakes of New Zealand. In a country larger than the United Kingdom but with only about a sixteenth of the population, there is an abundance of natural life to experience. The beauty of a fiery glowing sun sinking into the horizon or the powdery snow-capped mountains ascending into the sky will not only spark an other-worldly emotional response within your soul, it will also present an opportunity to capture the majestic beauty through photography to share with others.

Vacation is a time to rest and relax, but at Cover-More we know from experience how dangerous new countries can be. From pickpockets to pyramid schemes, we want you to stay safe and aware. Learn about the common scams for visitors and locals in New Zealand and you’ll be better off protecting yourself and your holiday from an unfortunate run-in with one of these scam artists. If you are planning a trip to New Zealand, here are the three scams you should be vigilant about:

Lush greenery rubs shoulders with the urban dwellings of downtown Auckland, all of which overlooks the turquoise bays. Auckland has consistently placed in the Top 5 on the Mercer Quality of Living Survey and often wins awards as a top travel destination. This will no doubt be the best place to take a break from reality and calm your mind from the stresses of everyday responsibilities. Read our list of the top ways to relax when visiting Auckland, New Zealand.

One of the hardest parts about travelling abroad, even if it’s just to the next island over, is figuring out public transportation. Routes and numbers are always changing and it can be hard to know which way is north, let alone the combination of public transport you need to take to get to your final destination. Daunting doesn’t even begin to describe it. 

The first thing to strike you when arriving in Queenstown, New Zealand is probably the scenery. The mountains iced with snow and the shimmering lakes are hard to tear your eyes away from. However when you do, and you get to know the town centre of Queenstown, you’ll quickly realize how friendly and open locals are here.

The Maori people’s Polynesian ancestors sailed around the Pacific Ocean with their navigational skills to guide them. One of the last islands to be discovered was Aotearoa New Zealand. The “Aotearoa” part of the name comes from the wife of the adventurer Kupe, who pointed out the long white clouds that were over the land, thus giving Aotearoa its name which translates to “long white cloud.”

I knew New Zealand was beautiful, which is why I was really excited to spend some time there recently. I expected to fall in love with Queenstown and never want to leave, so I was really surprised when it was somewhere else that completely captured my heart.