If you’re a vegan, you may have hesitated to travel outside your country because you’re not sure what kind of eating and toiletry options you might have available to you at your destination. But rest assured, vegan travel is a lot easier now than it’s ever been. As awareness of veganism continues to rise, an increasing number of restaurants and food stalls are catering to vegan needs.
Here are some tips to help you enjoy travel and keep to your dietary and ethical guidelines while you do.
1. Research your destination using social media
Search for the hashtag #vegantravel across social media channels. Pinterest and Instagram can offer many imaged of delicious vegan foods, but they can also help you locate restaurants, accommodations, and even street food stalls that serve vegan fare. You may be able to locate Facebook groups and Twitter accounts that can help you find food that you can eat, too.
2. Learn useful phrases
When you’re preparing for your trip, make sure you know how to ask the important questions like “Is there egg/fat/meat in that dish?” Also know a few phrases like “I’m allergic to eggs” in order to make sure that a dish is made vegan rather than vegetarian.
One of the most useful dining resources for vegan travel is a list of wallet cards explaining in 106 different languages that you’re a vegan and what that means in terms of what you can and can’t eat.
3. Get an Airbnb with a kitchen
It’s really helpful to have a place with your own kitchen if you’re planning on doing any vegan travel. It’ll allow you to cook your own meals out of things you can purchase at supermarkets and farmers’ markets.
4. Try Couchsurfing
If your budget doesn’t include room for an Airbnb, Dale Davies of the Slow Vegan Travel blog recommends using Couchsurfing, a service that matches you to locals in the area to which you’re traveling. When you set up a Couchsurfing account, you create a profile with details like your dietary preferences, languages spoken, interests, and the like. Pay the extra to get verified; it’ll help both you and your host to feel better about your visit. And don’t forget to get references before you book!
5. Find local vegans through online groups
If you’re on Meetup, for example, look for vegan meetups in your destination city. It’s a great chance to meet locals who share your dietary preferences, and you’ll probably get some great tips on where to get good vegan meals, toiletries, and snacks.
6. B.Y.O.S. (Bring Your Own Snacks)
Thinking ahead is the key to successful vegan travel. Before you leave, stock up on your favorite vegan snacks, protein bars, and candy. You may not be able to find them at your destination, and there’s nothing less fun than to stop for lunch in a place and find you have no vegan options. Hunger does not make for good vacation times.
7. Book a specifically vegan trip
Whether it’s an ocean or river cruise, hiking excursion, or guided multi-city tour, there are plenty of vegan options available. Vegan.com has some great travel resources and websites you can visit to find your next destination.
So, as you can see, vegan travel is really much easier than it used to be. With the increasing number of resources, websites, and apps available to the modern traveler, you can find just about anything you need in order to travel the world as a vegan.