As a vegan traveler, the one thing I constantly hear from other people is that they couldn’t be vegan while traveling. It would be too difficult, they say, with language barriers, with constantly moving around, not being able to cook, not being able to find local vegan restaurants… and the list goes on.
Travel as a vegan can seem daunting but I promise – it is 100% possible to have a great vegan trip with these tips.
Use the HappyCow App
Whenever I am traveling somewhere new, the first place I research is HappyCow! It’s an amazing app and website that has vegan, vegetarian, and vegan-friendly restaurants, stores and more.
You just put the location you want and it will find all the closest places to where you are or are going to be. While HappyCow is hugely beneficial, I would not count on it completely considering it is only updated by users and therefore may not have newer restaurants or lesser-known restaurants.
Ask Restaurants for a Vegan Menu
You would be surprised how many restaurants have a separate vegan menu that they don’t openly advertise. It never hurts to ask. If I’m going somewhere that doesn’t seem vegan-riendly, I’ll ask if they have a vegan menu or if they can alter something on their regular menu for me. It may be a little harder at some restaurants, but you can eat vegan at any restaurant.
Call or Message a Restaurant Ahead of Time
If you’re like me and you don’t want to wait until you get to a restaurant, you can call or message them on Facebook. I actually prefer to message them because you have the answer in writing and there is no confusion as to what you’re asking.
Know Keywords in the Native Language
One of the scariest parts of traveling as a vegan is not being able to communicate your restrictions or feeling confident that you’re being understood. The easiest way to get around this is to learn a few key words or phrases.
It’s great to have written translations for “no egg” “no dairy” “no meat” “only plant foods” “no animal products” and so on. Having these written down to show to whomever is making your food could prove essential. Here are some great pre-made cards to take with you on your travels!
Eat More Raw Foods When Traveling
When traveling, it’s great to shop for produce at local farmers markets. In tropical locations such as Thailand, it’s the perfect time to eat more raw food and enjoy the local and unique fruits wherever you are in the world. Maybe try the ever-controversial Durian fruit?
Join Local Vegan Facebook Groups
One of my favorite things to do is join the local vegan Facebook group for wherever I’m traveling. You can see what all the locals are raving about in their city, you can ask for advice on what are the must-eat places and even get some ideas for some vegan items that may be “off the beaten path.”
All I do is go to the search bar and type in Vegan ‘Country or City Name’ and there is almost always a group for that location. Even the most non-friendly vegan places, I’ve found Facebook groups because the locals have to commiserate about their lack of options together somewhere, right?
Always Have Snacks
I would say the #1 tip for traveling as a vegan is to always, always have something on you that you can eat. Ireland turned out to be way more vegan friendly than I anticipated, but there were still some days when all I came across was a grocery store, so I stocked up on snacks. Some of my favorites include Clif bars, chocolate and Violife cheese and bagels.
Stay in Airbnbs or Vegan Couchsurfing Hosts
I love staying in Airbnbs or rentals when I travel because I can make my own meals. This is particularly handy in places that are not known for the vegan options. Another great option is to couchsurf with vegan hosts. If you go into the couchsurfing website and put vegan in the filter, you can see if there are any hosts that lead a vegan life. It’s great to connect with like-minded individuals and they’ll also usually have great recommendations for local vegan options.
Make Arrangements for Flights and Airports
Most airlines have at least a vegetarian option you can choose but I would also suggest giving them a call once you book your ticket and let them know you are a vegan or a “strict vegetarian” and see if they are able to accommodate. Many can but it’s not listed as one of the meals when choosing your flights. If they can’t, then you’ll know in advance and can bring your own food. Always, always do this in advance, because they do not have extra vegetarian or vegan meals available on the plane. I would also always recommend bringing food in the off chance something gets lost in translation.
Remember to Check Non-Food Items
Veganism isn’t just about the food you eat – it’s also about the products you put on your body or the products you wear. I always travel with everything I need such as cruelty-free hygiene products, a diva cup for feminine hygiene, a reusable water bottle and bamboo cutlery set. Single use plastic may be technically vegan but the effects it has the environment and marine life makes it a no-brainer for me to cut out.
Read Vegan Travel Blogs
I may be a little biased, but I find searching and reading vegan travel blogs for the destination I’m going to be one of the most useful vegan travel tips. Vegan bloggers are usually very passionate about finding the best vegan food in a specific location and I really love finding that personal aspect that you’ll find in a blog!
