TRAVELLERS have to go a long way to find the safest country in the world, according to a new poll.

New Zealand has taken the top safety nation prize in awards organised by independent travellers' magazine Wanderlust. "New Zealand offers freedom from worrying about dangerous animals, political instability, ropey transport but it also has skiing, adrenalin sports, diving, trekking," said Wanderlust's editor-in-chief Lyn Hughes.