Whether you’re about to embark on an epic global adventure or heading for a weekend away, you may wonder how easy vegan travel is.

Or should that be how difficult it is? 🤔

Fortunately, veganism is on the rise. Unfortunately, it’s still estimated that less than 1% of the global population is vegan.

This means that wherever you travel, you’re likely to end up in a predominantly non-vegan place.

Luckily, with a little planning and preparation, it’s simple to travel vegan and still enjoy all the joys of exploring a new place.

Read on for tips on what to pack before you jet off and where to eat when you get there. ✈️

1. Before you go
   1. Email ahead
   2. Pack sensibly
   3. Research vegan places
2. During travel
3. When you get there
4. How to speak vegan around the world
5. The final word on vegan travel

Before you go

Email ahead

Wherever you go, you’ll need somewhere to stay. This may be a dedicated vegan hotel (yes, they do exist!), a regular hotel or hostel, or an Airbnb accommodation.

If it’s a place that serves meals and you plan to eat there, email the management or hosts ahead of time and ask them about the vegan options.

Will they be able to cater for you? Will they have alternative milks for your morning coffee? This can make all the difference between a good and bad stay.

Pack sensibly

It can be difficult to find vegan-friendly items in some countries, whether you need food, cosmetics or supplements.

It’s therefore worth packing the essentials so that you aren’t left stranded.

Of course, leave the chickpeas, tofu, peanut butter and seasonings at home, because you can find these anywhere.

However, depending on where you travel, you may not be able to find some things that you deem essential.

For example, you may want to take a pack of your favourite vegan protein powder or meal replacement powder, as well as some protein bars or energy bars.

You should also pack your daily vegan supplements like B12 and vitamin D, especially if you are away for longer than a few days.

Research vegan places

In the days before you leave, read up on the town or city you are visiting.

Join a vegan travel group, or a local vegan group on Facebook, and introduce yourself.

Mention that you are visiting a specific city and that you want some recommendations for vegan restaurants, cafes, and stores in the area. Local vegans are likely to be friendly and will want to show off their city!

For popular travel destinations, you will find loads of vegan travel blogs as well as video guides on YouTube.

Less popular destinations may require a bit more research, but apps like Happy Cow allow you to search for vegan restaurants in any location, add filters, read reviews, and look at menus. It’s not a perfect app, but it works pretty well.

This is a great way to help you plan your visit. It will also allow you to familiarise yourself with any local delicacies that are (or can be made) vegan.

When possible try new things as it’s one of the joys of travelling!

During travel

Whether you’re going to Rome or Rio, the actual travelling part of your trip is usually the most tedious – and often when you need some nice food as a pick-me-up.

Most airports will have restaurants and stores that cater for vegans, while train stations, petrol stations and rest areas will usually offer something plant-based.

Keep your expectations low and you may be pleasantly surprised.

When I travel, we like to have a range of snacks on hand for the plane, train, car or boat (not that I actually travel by boat that often…).

Bring something like popcorn, fruit chips, roasted chickpeas, crunchy corn, or nuts, as well as some fruit. Go for something convenient like a banana or apple, which doesn’t require preparation and is easy to carry.

In other words, forget about taking a whole pineapple.

Additionally, a bar of chocolate or bag of sweets can help make any plane journey pass a little quicker. 🍫

When you get there

A bag of popcorn and a banana will only get you so far. When you arrive at your destination, it’s time to start eating!

If you have done your research, then you should now have a list of vegan restaurants (or at least restaurants that have vegan menus) ready to try out.

Still in doubt? Chain restaurants and fast-food outlets will usually serve a plant-based dish or two. It may not be the healthiest way to eat, but it’s often cheap and will keep you going.

If you are staying in a self-catering apartment or AirBnb rental, you already know that supermarkets will always sell the plant-based essentials, like tofu, beans, fruit, vegetables, and some vegan alternatives.

As nice as it is to try new things, only buy what you need during your stay.

How to speak vegan around the world

If you think the word ‘vegan’ is universal, then you are unfortunately mistaken.

Incredibly, there are around 6,500 languages spoken around the world, and thousands of ways to point out that you are living a plant-based lifestyle.

Instead of translating them all, here’s how to say ‘I am vegan’ (or at least vegetarian) in some of the most commonly spoken languages around the world.

• soy vegana – Spanish
• eu sou vegana – Portuguese
• ich bin vegan – German
• sono vegana – Italian
• je suis vegan – French
• wǒ shì chún sù shí zhě – Mandarin
• naneun bigeon chaesig-eul haeyo – Korean
• main shaakaahaaree hoon – Hindi
• ‘ana nabati – Arabic

The final word on vegan travel

As you can see, there is never any reason to go hungry as a world vegan travel expert (like you now are!).

Whether you’re travelling to Florence or Florida, there are plenty of vegan hotels, vegan-friendly countries, and vegan companies trying to make plant-based living easier. You just need to put in a little extra time when planning ahead.

Have a safe and enjoyable trip! ✈️