Aotearoa New Zealand’s scenery, ski slopes, food and wine have Australians planning getaways in droves. Maybe you plan to grab a flight or cruise over to carve up some fresh powder at Coronet Peak, tackle one of the country’s 11 Great Walks, or taste your way through its wine regions, from Martinborough to Hawke’s Bay and Central Otago. And while the Australian dollar goes further in New Zealand and you won’t have to buy a power adapter, there are a few things you’re better off knowing before traversing the Tasman Sea.

There are those well-referenced translations we’ve come to associate with New Zealand, like jandals (thongs), chilly bins (Esky) and “choice as” (nice one). But there are nuances to their lingo that can trip you up. They might think you’re asking for a butcher if you want directions to the nearest deli – a dairy to them. A beach shack is a bach, hiking is called tramping, and “chur” means thanks but you say “tu meke” (“too much!”) when someone really goes out of their way for you. You’ll come across a lot of Māori words; te reo Māori is an official language of New Zealand and there have been serious efforts over several decades to revive it. Kia ora (hello), haere mai (welcome), kai (food), ka kite ano (see you later), marae (meeting place), whenua (land, country) and iwi (people, tribe) are some terms you might encounter. Finally, if you’re having a yarn to a local, tread carefully around the topics of pavlova, lamingtons, Crowded House and rugby.

New Zealand may seem compact, but the geography isn’t straightforward. Which is to say driving from point A to B is almost never as the crow flies. The roads are often winding single-lane highways, hairpin turns and one-vehicle-at-a-time bridges. A simple 115-kilometre journey along the Coromandel Peninsula – from Thames to Whitianga – can take you close to three hours. For this reason, take it slow, take in the scenery and don’t expect to see the whole country in one hit if you’re coming for a few days (or even a few weeks).

Biosecurity is tight in New Zealand. Given its isolation, the island nation is home to unique native flora and fauna that are vulnerable to outside pests and diseases. Its food-destination status, too, is dependent on clean and healthy orchards, vineyards, fisheries and pastures. To keep the Kiwi environment thriving – and to avoid a fine – it’s best to leave behind (or put in the bin on your way in) any food, animal or plant products, even if you got it at the airport. You also need to declare any camping or hiking equipment so it can be inspected. It only takes one little slip up to put everything at risk.

On land, there’s very little that can hurt or kill you in New Zealand – and the locals want to keep it that way. There are no snakes, crocs or funnel-web spiders; you can walk through tall grass and overgrown ferns without a care in the world. There are also fascinating birds that you won’t find anywhere else in the world, like the kea, a mischievous alpine parrot; the strange and gentle kākāpō; and, of course, the blind, fuzzy kiwi, a national icon. Having evolved with few natural predators, these birds often aren’t shy about coming forward, which can make for delightful encounters (head to the predator-controlled environs of Rakiura Stewart Island for your best chance of a sighting). But that friendly disposition – and flightlessness, in many cases – has also made New Zealand’s native birds easy prey for introduced pests like stoat and cats. Along with habitat loss, a changing climate and other human interference, that means many bird species here are critically endangered. So it’s crucial that you never feed the birds, and before you arrive, make sure your shoes and gear are clean from dirt, seeds and insects to help keep the place pest-free.

You will need your passport to enter New Zealand, but Australians don’t need a visa. You’ll just need to provide some details about where you’re going and what you’re bringing with you. And instead of trying to balance the paper declaration card on your knee mid-descent when you’re trying to finish your movie, make things easier for yourself and fill it out before you board your flight – online or via the app. You can do this within 24 hours of starting your trip.

This article is produced by Broadsheet in partnership with Biosecurity New Zealand. It only takes one contaminated item to put New Zealand’s natural environment and agriculture at risk. Check your luggage carefully and be sure to declare any food or organic matter, no matter how small. Learn more at biosecurity.govt.nz/travel.