There is a misconception that a vegan vacation is physically taxing, costly, and not that fun. However, there is no truth to such a claim.
While it is true that going on overseas vacation is a challenge for a vegan, nothing is impossible for someone who has prepared enough.
With proper planning, no one can deter you from having fun while on a vegan travel adventure. Want to make the most out of your vacation?
Read on for some tips for hustle-free vegan travel.
Why Should You Go on a Vegan Vacation?
Traveling as a vegan is quite daunting.
For starters, traveling is not as convenient as staying at home.
And the places or restaurants you would visit overseas may not be vegan-friendly as we could hope.
Because of the challenges of sticking to a vegan lifestyle, one may be afraid to travel away from home.
However, this is the reason why you need to have a vegan vacation of a lifetime.
Now that more people are interested in veganism, more businesses are starting to accommodate vegans and vegetarians.
There are a lot of vegan cuisines to try and vegan restaurants and places to visit.
Who knows, you might meet new friends or even a partner who shares the same lifestyle as you, right?
The more you visit vegan-friendly places, the higher the possibility that you will meet someone with the same passion and advocacy.
After all, it’s easy to follow a vegan lifestyle when surrounded by people who value the same belief as you.
Plus, you get to have fun and try vegan cuisines and places that are new to you.
Is it Hard to Travel as a Vegan?
In reality, it is easy to travel as a vegan. It only takes a simple process of planning and following the tips of fellow vegans who have been to the same place you want to visit. Connecting with vegan friends and hearing their advice will help you realize that vegan travel is easy and not a restriction.
Moreover, while vegan travel is not that difficult, traveling, in general, may come with particular challenges. The major hurdle for a vegan is finding vegan-friendly resorts, hotels, or restaurants. Fortunately, you can always utilize technology to ease the burden.
10 Tips to Plan the Ultimate Vegan Vacation
In some places, “vegan” is not new anymore. However, this is not the same in other areas. There are still people in some countries or cities who don’t know what veganism means. And, of course, culture and language diversity are inevitable. Thus, you may find difficulties during your travels.
To help you enjoy your vegan vacation, feel free to use these helpful vegan travel tips and tricks.
- Get to Know your Destination
Going on a vegan vacation is an exhilarating experience. It is fun and culturally enriching, and you get to satisfy your vegan appetite. However, before you start your vegan travel, research your destination carefully.
You can research on Google or use apps to find local vegan resorts, places, and restaurants in your dream destination. The most famous app used by vegan travelers is HappyCow. You can use the app to find local vegan restaurants and other vegan places that may interest you.
- Pack Ahead
If you think your destination is not that vegan-friendly, pack some vegan snacks like vegan chips, nuts, seeds, and fruits. You can bring pre-made vegan pasta, soup, rice, and more if it is a long ride or flight.
There’s nothing worse than getting hungry while on a long trip. Hence, pack ahead and bring your favorite vegan meals and snacks to satisfy your tummy.
- Plan in Advance
Planning will ease the burden of finding a restaurant catering to vegetarians and vegans. It will help you a lot if you plan. For instance, before arriving at your destination, check out vegan restaurants or places offering plant-based food alternatives.
If there’s none, prepare to cook your meals or the vegan food you have packed. If you want to cook, you can book a kitchen to utilize. Of course, these preparations are more expensive and should be done before you travel to your destination.
Here are extra tips for planning in advance for a fuss-free vegan trip:
- On your flight, you can order a vegan meal under special meals. You can also book a meal in advance by calling the airline.
- If you have a non-vegan traveler with you, inform them of your dietary preferences.
- If you want to eat at a restaurant, whether alone or with friends, call the restaurant if you can order vegan meals. If not, you can ask them if they can make one for you. It is always better to call ahead than to order a vegan meal once you arrive at the restaurant.
- Bring a little spice jar should you want to cook for yourself. You can put some ingredients there like nutritional yeast and many more.
- Bring reusable utensils for soup, noodles, or salad wherever and whenever you want.
- Download all the vegan apps that you think are useful on your trip.
- Book the Right Accommodation and Tours
Veganism has been a popular lifestyle for years. Thus, there are vegan resorts, hotels, and accommodations you can stay at during the trip. If you can’t find a vegan hotel, stay near the local vegan restaurants.
You can also book a hostel or AirBnB accommodations if you want to save an extra penny. Even if the place is not vegan-friendly, there may be vegan restaurants nearby. Also, Airbnb is ideal if you want to cook for yourself. There are Airbnb apartments with a kitchen where you can prepare your vegan meals.
- Prepare Emergency Vegan Snacks, Cosmetic, & Toiletries
While veganism is becoming popular and mainstream, it’s still best to be prepared. Even if there are a lot of vegan restaurants and hotels, it’s crucial to bring your vegan snack. You can bring some easy veggie snacks like dried fruits, fruits, veggie sticks with dip, and the like.
As a vegan, you should always make it a habit to travel with cruelty-free essentials such as toiletries and cosmetics. This is because you’re unsure if you will ever find vegan health shops in your destination.
The vegan cosmetics and toiletries you may bring include: vegan shampoo bar, organic soap bar, environmental-friendly sunscreen, and make-up.
- Reach out to Vegan Locals or Travelers
Fellow vegans are more than happy to share their vegan travels and experiences. Ask for some recommendations and activities to try on your trip. You can also reach out to vegan locals to ask where you can eat the most delicious plant-based food in town.
- Learn Local Useful Phrases
If you opt to travel abroad, you may experience language barriers. Thus, no matter how much you try to tell someone that you’re vegan, they might not understand you. Although English is a universal language, some still don’t know how to speak or understand it.
Since you are a visitor, you should extend your vocabulary for the locals to understand. Once you have decided your place of destination, try to learn the most used phrases as a vegan. Know how to say, “I’m a vegan,” “I don’t eat meat or fish,” “I don’t eat eggs, milk, cheese, or butter,” or “I only eat veggies or fruits.”
If you don’t have time to learn some useful phrases, you can use Google Translate. Whether you’re talking to a foreigner or having foreign grocery shopping, Google Translate will somehow help you understand the foreign language.
For example, if you are in Thailand and need help reading the menu, the Google Translate app has a camera function you can utilize. The app will analyze the text and translate it into your language.
- Research, Research, Research
Google is always ready to help whether you are looking for vegan vacation places or restaurants. If you’re planning your itinerary, just Google which cities, destinations, and activities are best for vegans.
Although it is not necessary to plan a trip around your vegan lifestyle, knowing the best options for a vegan like you is helpful. For instance, if you want to travel to Greece, you would know Athens has the best vegan restaurants for you to munch on.
The point is that research will never let you down. It is your friend; thus, utilize technology platforms to find the best vegan vacation suitable to your lifestyle.
- Ask Social Media
Social media is vital if you run out of tools or don’t have vegan friends who have visited the same destination. Use the proper hashtag; for instance, ask #VeganTwitter for vegan resorts, travel, and restaurant recommendations.
Reddit is also an excellent site to check out. There are vegan forums discussing where you can find vegan restaurants serving delicious meals. To do this, just Google “(City/Country) Vegan Food Reddit).” For sure, you will find what exactly you’re looking forum.
Instagram is also a good platform to get to know the place you’re heading to. Just check out proper vegan hashtags. For example, “#Vegan(City), like #VeganFrance.” This trick will help you find restaurants and food pictures.
Another helpful tip is to join Facebook groups. To do this, use the site’s search bar and type in “Vegan in (City/Country).” Sure, you will find a lot of groups dedicated to vegans like you. You can ask their vegan travel recommendations for a worthwhile vacation.
- Don’t Worry and Enjoy!
Last but not the least important tip is to have fun. You only live once or #YOLO, as they say. We don’t know what’s ever going to happen in the future. If there’s one thing that the COVID-19 pandemic has made us realize is to travel while we can.
It’s challenging to travel while you maintain the vegan lifestyle. However, it does not mean it’s impossible. Can’t find a vegan restaurant in your destination? Make your own! Replace the meat with potatoes or order vegan pasta dishes.
If you find a local restaurant serving a vegan dish, try it. Even if the dish doesn’t sound, who cares? Or who knows, it might be your new vegan favorite food? Again, keep in mind that you’re vacationing to have fun!
Is a Fully Planned Vegan Vacation Possible?
Yes, a thoroughly planned vegan vacation is possible. You can try this option if you don’t want to feel stressed from the planning process mentioned above. Vegan all-inclusive resorts or hotels will make your vacation more enjoyable because vegan meals are guaranteed every day.
Let’s admit it, if you’re going on a trip with such limited time, the last thing you would ever want is to waste time deciding where to eat. Whether the trip is a honeymoon, anniversary, or family trip, staying at a vegan-friendly resort will ensure you a fuss-free vegan vacation.
Some companies that offer vegan all-inclusive resorts and trips worldwide are Intrepid, Responsible Vacation, and Vegan Cruises. Take note though, that this option is more expensive than having a DIY planned vacation. After all, you’re paying for convenience and less worrying about food.
The Bottom Line
All in all, keep calm and travel on. If you can’t find a vegan option during the trip, don’t get frustrated; otherwise, it will ruin a day of your vacation. Just take a breath and make use of your vegan travel tools.
And if you end up eating food that is not entirely vegan, don’t stress. This is probably out of your control. In most cases, the restaurant is unaware that the customer would like a full vegan meal. The best way to deal with this is to move on and make sure to do better next time.
But if you are very strict about your veganism journey, nothing beats having a fully planned vegan vacation. It is stress-free, and vegan breakfast is surely served free every day.
Do you travel as a vegan often? How do you find the best vegan options to maintain your vegan lifestyle? Let us know in the comments!