Is it hard to travel as a vegan?
LIFESTYLE
Short answer
No. HappyCow lists 200,000+ vegan-friendly venues in 190+ countries. Most airlines offer a VGML meal code. Rice, beans, lentils, fruit and nuts are near-universal.
LIFESTYLE
The detail
Countries with very vegan-friendly food cultures: India, Israel, Thailand, Vietnam, Portugal, Italy, Ethiopia, Taiwan, Mexico.
Backup snacks: instant oats, nut butter sachets, protein bars, dried fruit. Learn key phrases: 'no meat, no fish, no dairy, no eggs' in the local language.
Pack a small bag of 'emergency' snacks like nuts, dried fruit, and protein bars to ensure you always have something to eat during long transit days. A 2023 travel survey found that London, Berlin, and New York were among the most vegan-friendly cities for tourists due to their high density of plant-based options. Learning a few key phrases in the local language, like 'no meat' or 'no eggs,' will go a long way in ensuring your meals are safe.
RELATED
More questions like this
- How do I eat vegan at restaurants?
Call ahead, scan the menu online, use HappyCow for vegan-friendly listings, and default to Italian, Indian, Thai, Middle Eastern or Mexican cuisines.
- How do I start being vegan?
Pick a start date. Swap one meal, one product, or one week at a time. Focus on adding — grains, beans, vegetables — before removing.
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