If you stick near the road and the areas around whatever camps you normally go to, then yes, it is pretty peaceful. However, danger is just around the corner. For example, travel up a bit from R20 Camp Tranquil to Silent Arbor and you will find high rank aggro mobs galore. Or venture into Tam-Tara which is just a short ways from town.

Actually, north-ish of Camp Emerald Moss used to be pretty dangerous. Aggro mobs everywhere, and at R10 that sure was exciting and dangerous seeming to me! xD But there is less aggro in that area now, probably for the sake of gatherers. I may have loved battling there, but I sure didn't like having wolves hanging around my mining nodes.

And there is a lot of aggro at Nanawa and around Broken Water, which to be honest is really annoying. I get tired of killing a bunch of mites during my leves, and solo/at lower ranks the aggro makes some leves extremely difficult to complete.

I do agree though, we could use a little more excitement in the mob department.