12 easy tips to survive traveling as a vegetarian

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We all know it, traveling comes with its own unique set of challenges, especially when you travel as a couple or with parents. Well, so does traveling as a vegetarian, regardless of where you are in the world. But it doesn’t always have to be a difficult feat. Of course, it all depends on how you prepare yourself. So we’ve taken note of all the challenges we’ve faced when looking for vegetarian meals while traveling. Hopefully, these 12 easy tips will help take the stress out of your travels.

I love eating and have quite a refined palette. I’m a firm believer that food is a great way to learn about someone’s culture. It’s also a way to share joy, pleasure, and love. There was no way I wasn’t going to take full advantage of the countries we were visiting and try all their delicious dishes. Luckily, I didn’t have to cheat on my vegetarian diet to do it!

Vegan burger and fries at Shaka Burger Bohol Philippines
Vegan burger and fries at Shaka Burger, Bohol Philippines

After a year on the road, I want to share some of the things I learned along the way, and help you avoid some of the mistakes I made traveling as a vegetarian.

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Why I became a vegetarian

Short answer, for all the reasons. Because of the way we treat animals, because of the environmental impacts of eating meat, because of health reasons. All of the reasons. But I won’t get into that here. I’ve already shared my journey in another article. Hopefully, it will help you see a kinder way of living and consuming food.

Traveling the world as a vegetarian

I’m not going to lie. Traveling as a vegetarian is not easy. Actually, living as a vegetarian or vegan is not easy. People will constantly question your motives and try to convince you that the animals were put on this earth for us to eat. Some people may even laugh at you for it. The good news is that going vegetarian and vegan is a growing trend in the world.

Just be respectful with the people you meet. If they ask you questions, answer them as honestly and calmly as you can, but know that you will probably not change their minds with one conversation. If they pressure you, understand that it comes from a place of love.

Mozarella di buffalo tomato and pesto brushetta in Athens Greece
Mozzarella di buffalo tomato and pesto bruschetta, Athens, Greece

A lot of cultures are very meat-heavy and can’t imagine a meal without a dead animal on their plate. To refuse more politely, you can tell them meat makes you sick. After 3 years of not eating meat, I can tell you that my system can no longer digest it. So I’m not even lying when I tell them that!

So here are some tips I learned while traveling as a vegetarian. I don’t eat fish either, so it may be easier for those who do. Especially when traveling to countries like Korea or Japan where fish and meat consumption is very common.

1. Stay positive when looking for vegetarian food

Don’t despair. It’s true that some days will be tough. You won’t find much to eat except rice and eggs. People won’t understand your reasons. They may even mock you.

Just stay positive and know there is a huge community of vegetarians worldwide. In fact, there are over 375 million people in the world who are in our Veg crew. So don’t let a few nay-sayers ruin the good thing we have going.

2. Do some research for your vegetarian diet

If you’re a foodie like me, you probably want to eat everything in sight. Do your research and see what the local delicacies are. Find out if they can be made without animal meat. See if any of the local dishes are actually vegetarian from the get-go. In most countries we visited, we were able to find vegetarian versions of all their local meals… or at least the best ones!

Vegetarian Laska at Yun Shui Ge Vegetarian House, Penang Malaysia
Vegetarian Laska at Yun Shui Ge Vegetarian House, Penang, Malaysia

3. Ask a local about local vegetarian meals

Once you get to your destination, ask a local about their food customs. One of the easiest ways to meet locals is to try Couchsurfing. If you’re not ready for that, as waiters in the restaurants you go to, or the vendors at local markets.

They will be able to give you the inside scoop on what veggie options you can find fresh, in-season and locally without breaking your neck or your bank account.  They may even be able to teach you how to make those local dishes.  Double score!

4. Know that in most places ‘vegetarian’ doesn’t mean much

Once, in Japan, I ordered gyoza (dumplings) with a mushroom filling. I took one bite and knew the gyoza had meat in it. When I asked the waiter, he said “No meat”.

Being with some locals (you guessed it, they were our Couchsurfing hosts), I asked them to inquire again, but to find out what the actual filling was. The waiter then said “Mushroom and chicken. No meat.”

Surprisingly, not every culture categorizes meat the same way. Some don’t consider fish or chicken to be meat. Others think seafood is fine for vegetarians (and sometimes, some vegetarians think seafood is fine too). So go beyond learning “I am vegetarian” in every language. Instead, learn how to say what you can and cannot eat. Or at least, bring a phrasebook with you so you can clearly translate what you are ordering.

5. Get a kitchen so you can cook your own vegetarian meals

This is something we do to save money and to make it easier to eat vegetarian meals. Often, we’ll book a room or Airbnb that has a kitchen or a kitchenette included.

This way, we can make our own vegetarian meals with the fresh local ingredients we find. Curries are super easy to make and can be shared easily. Because you know, sharing is caring.

6. Use Happy Cow to find the best vegetarian restaurants around the world

If you’re already a vegetarian or vegan, then you know about Happy Cow. And you probably love it! It’s the easiest and best way to find veg-friendly restaurants in town… no matter where that town is in the world!

Fried sesame pau at Yun Shui Ge Vegetarian House, Penang Malaysia
Fried sesame pau @ Yun Shui Ge Vegetarian House, Penang, Malaysia

And if all else fails, just find the closest Indian restaurant. When we were in Korea and Japan, the least vegetarian-friendly countries we visited, we would stop by the Indian restaurant. They’re almost always delicious, cheap and have tons of vegetarian options.  SCORE!

7. When in doubt, order a bunch of vegetarian starters

Sometimes, the restaurant you find only has meat dishes or things made with animal meats as mains. It’s happened to us a few times, when we get caught eating very late, with only a few options available. Or we’re with friends who want very specific things to eat.  

If there are no main dishes that are meat-free, chances are, you will find starters or sides that do the trick. So don’t despair! Take a look at the side dishes and see what nutritious sides you can combine to make yourself a hearty meal. And, as always, don’t forget to share!

8. Make a request to suit your vegetarian diet

Usually, if there is nothing meat-free on the menu, you can still make a request and see if the kitchen can accommodate you. Chances are, they don’t want to lose the potential business and they will create a vegetarian dish just for you.  

You can ask them to simply remove the meat, or substitute it for something else like tofu or tempeh. Just beware that this doesn’t always work.

2 Fruit bowls at Shaka Burger Bohol Philippines
Our favorite fruit bowls at Shaka Burger, Bohol Philippines

In the Philippines, we ordered nachos and asked that they remove the meat. They said it was impossible to do. But when we asked if they could remove the pork from the pancit, that was no problem. Why? We’re still not sure! Either way, we were happy they were able to accommodate us!

9. Pack snacks and stock up of fresh produce

If you’re traveling short-term, you can bring some snacks, protein powders or nutrition bars with you. If you’re traveling long-term like us, we recommend stocking up on snacks when you find some that are protein-heavy or highly nutritious.

Fruit stand Langkawi, Malaysia
Our favorite fruit stand in Langkawi, Malaysia

There are many places where the only vegetarian options I found to eat were rice and eggs. Those nights were less fun but I was happy to have bananas and apples with me. In most countries, the produce is super fresh, cheap, and local so fill up when you can.

10. Know your limits when it comes to eating off your vegetarian diet

Some people change their eating habits when they travel. Vegans will become vegetarian when they travel. Vegetarians will have fish once in a while from local vendors. Know what you are ok “breaking the rules” for.

Kimchi at street market in South Korea
Kimchi at the street market, Busan, South Korea

If you are comfortable with eating something once, you shouldn’t feel bad about it. For example, when we were in Cambodia, I chose to eat bugs. Not sure what the rules are about vegetarians eating bugs, but I was quite ok with the idea.

11. Be flexible with your vegetarian diet

Another time, in the Philippines, we had a meal at the home of a family friend. She cooked the whole day for us. But our friend forgot to mention I was a vegetarian. So she cooked tons of shrimp, crab, chicken, and rice.  

I’m always happy when there’s rice. I didn’t want to be difficult, so I had some shrimp. I didn’t like it, but I didn’t want to insult this person who welcomed us into her home and fed us. It was just not worth it for a few shrimps that were caught by her family a few hours earlier.

Traditional Morocan vegetable Tajine
A traditional vegetable tajine, Tangier, Morocco

In other countries, where soup was the main staple, I didn’t constantly question if the broth was made with beef or chicken stock. I would have driven myself, the waiters and my husband crazy. I just chose to have it and not make a fuss about it.

12. Know where to go and be prepared

It’s always good to know if the country or city you’re traveling to is vegetarian-friendly or not. Make sure you look into their cuisine and available veg options. 

The countries that I found were the least vegetarian friendly were Korea, Japan, and the Philippines. Those are the places where I had the same veggie meal over and over again (every day, for weeks). On the other hand, Australia, New Zealand, Greece and Armenia were great for vegetarians!

Vegetarian Rendang at Yun Shui Ge Vegetarian House, Penang Malaysia
Vegetarian Rendang @ Yun Shui Ge Vegetarian House, Penang Malaysia

These are the little things that I’ve learned to help me survive as a vegetarian when traveling around the world. Overall, just stay true to who you are, stick to your values, and keep an open, loving mind. To recap, here are the 12 little tips we’ve found to help survive traveling around the world as a vegetarian:

  1. Stay positive when looking for vegetarian food
  2. Do some research for your vegetarian diet
  3. Ask a local about local vegetarian meals
  4. Know that in most places ‘vegetarian’ doesn’t mean much
  5. Get a kitchen so you can cook your own vegetarian meals
  6. Use the ‘Happy Cow’ app to find the best vegetarian restaurants around the world
  7. When in doubt, order a bunch of vegetarian starters
  8. Make a request to suit your vegetarian diet
  9. Pack snacks and stock up of fresh produce
  10. Know your limits when it comes to eating off your vegetarian diet
  11. Be flexible with your vegetarian diet
  12. Know where to go and be prepared

I’d love to hear what other tricks you’ve found too.  Has traveling as a vegetarian or vegan been easy for you?  Let me know in the comments.


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32 Comments

  1. Rita

    Thank you, I was not knowing about Happy Cow app. 👌
    And I agree it’s very difficult to get food as vegetarian. We don’t eat eggs also. In US you can’t find an ice cream also without eggs.

  2. Hello Yoggi

    Damn it! It really proves food is much sexier than human, seeing from your pictures!🙈

  3. shail

    Loved your article. We are also vegetarians and sometimes it is very difficult to make people understand why we r so!! Next time we plan a trip I will keep ur tricks in mind.

  4. kulturalwave

    Love this post! I’m finding being a vegetarian in China is super hard. They do have vegetarian dishes but if you don’t speak or read Chinese then finding these dishes is super hard.
    Foreigner pubs and restaurants are my best friends right now. And Subway.

  5. The Vegetarian Cooking Couple

    Excellent tips! I have been a vegetarian for longer than I can remember. And travel has always been tricky when it comes to finding vegetarian food. Your tips are helpful for sure!

  6. Shoko Plambeck

    I’m not vegetarian so am always hard pressed to offer useful advice when my vegetarian friends come and visit me in other countries! Thank you for this post, I’ll be sure to share 🙂

  7. Local Feedback

    Very useful post with good veg finding tips! Even i faced trouble finding authentic veg food in Japan. Mostly ate in Indian restaurants. Haven’t been to Korea and Philippines yet.
    In a lot of cuisines, fish and egg are treated as veg food. So i found it’s helpful to learn their local name while ordering, and saying “Without Fish and Egg please” – like in German “Keine fish und eir” 🙂 So they just remove it… not knowing good Italian, i once ended up with anchovies on my Pizza in Rome!
    Thanks for liking our recent post on Europe travel.
    -Susmita from Local Feedback.org

    • We did it our way

      Glad you found our tips helpful! Being able to say a few things in the local language to make sure you don’t end up ordering meat without knowing is key!

  8. ourtasteforlife

    Great article with some great tips. :). Safe to say India has been amazing for sticking to a veggie diet!

  9. Stories So Wild

    Hey there! Even India. We are the largest veg-eating country in the world. It’s a veg lovers paradise here and you’ll find so many wonderful vegetarian and vegan delights here.
    And thanks for the tip about Greece. I wasn’t aware they had much of a veg option on their menu; since they’re lovers of lamb.

  10. earthwalking13

    Great post! It’s not always easy finding organic on the road either. You are right about good planning and remaining positive with those who may not understand 🙂

    • We did it our way

      Thank you so much! Tell me about it, it is not easy to find organic food on the road, but thankfully we have been visiting many countries that have local food, so they are pretty good!

        • We did it our way

          That is what drives most of our daily decisions! Now if more people could this k the same way, we might be able to make a difference! 🌎

  11. Ananya

    You are absolutely right..Amazing blog, loved it.. I got what i needed..Thank you

      • Ananya

        Yes, I really enjoyed..I was looking for something like that..you gave it to me..Welcome you can see my blog hope you like it

  12. sabajewellery

    I had exacythe same problem in Austria 20 years ago about chicken – the waiter kept insisting that my dish was vegetarian in spitefully of the fact that there was clearly chicken in it!

  13. jessjadejones

    Great work! Very helpful and filled with knowledge.

  14. Misha Bagga

    I too am a vegetarian and I really loved all those tips above. Thanks for sharing 😍👍👍keep Glittering, from TGA by Misha

  15. Zesty Vegetarian Travels

    Great Post! I have experienced most of the same issues while traveling. Totally agree that being vegetarian doesn’t mean the same thing everywhere. Found out that in Italy where the pizza was labeled vegetarian pizza (because it had veggies as topping). But a helpful fellow customer upon hearing that we are vegetarian told us to inquire about the sauce as she said many pizza places in Italy have meat in the sauce used for all kinds of pizza. Turned out she was right!

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We’re Carine and Derek, two Canadians in love with each other, the environment and this world. We left our old routines behind to discover all the wonders our planet has to offer. We want to inspire everyone to chase their dreams and leave a positive impact on Earth.

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