How to Find the Best Vegan Spots While Traveling
20 August 2020
Travelling as a vegan has never been easier, but it still requires a bit of planning. Whether you are heading to Bangkok, Berlin, or Buenos Aires, knowing how to find great vegan food quickly can make the difference between an incredible trip and a frustrating one. Here are our tried-and-tested methods for finding plant-based food anywhere in the world.
1. HappyCow: The Essential App
If you only download one app before travelling, make it HappyCow. This community-driven platform lists vegan, vegetarian, and veg-friendly restaurants in over 180 countries. The app shows restaurants on a map, includes user reviews and photos, and works offline if you download the area beforehand. We use it every single day when travelling in Asia.
The free version gives you basic listings, but the paid version (around five pounds) unlocks full features including offline maps, which are invaluable in areas with poor mobile signal.
2. Google Maps: Hidden Gem Finder
Google Maps has become surprisingly useful for finding vegan food. Search "vegan restaurant" or "vegan food" in any city and you will get results with ratings, reviews, photos, and opening hours. The "popular times" feature tells you when a place is busiest, and you can filter by rating and price.
Pro tip: search in the local language as well. Searching "ร้านอาหารเจ" (jay restaurant) in Bangkok or "nhà hàng chay" (vegetarian restaurant) in Ho Chi Minh City reveals places that do not appear in English searches.
3. Social Media and Facebook Groups
Almost every city in Asia has a local vegan Facebook group. "Vegans in Bangkok", "Vegan Singapore", "Tokyo Vegan Guide" — these groups are goldmines of up-to-date recommendations from people who actually live there. Ask for suggestions before you arrive and you will get dozens of replies.
Instagram is equally useful. Search hashtags like #veganbangkok, #vegansingapore, or #vegantokyo to discover restaurants, street food, and hidden gems through photos. Many smaller vegan eateries rely entirely on Instagram for marketing.
4. Learn Key Phrases
A few words in the local language go an incredibly long way. In Thailand, the word "jay" (เจ) signals vegan food. In Vietnam, "chay" means vegetarian or vegan. In Japan, "bejitarian" or "bigan" are understood in major cities. We have a full guide to ordering vegan food in Thailand that covers the most useful phrases.
5. Hotel and Hostel Staff
Never underestimate the power of asking your hotel or hostel receptionist. They know the local area better than any app, and most are happy to recommend restaurants or even call ahead to check if a place can accommodate a vegan diet. In Southeast Asia, this has led us to some of our best meals.
6. Markets and Supermarkets
When restaurants fail, markets never do. Fresh fruit, vegetables, nuts, bread, and local snacks are available everywhere. Asian markets are particularly good — you will find fresh tropical fruit, tofu, tempeh, rice, noodles, and an incredible variety of vegetables. Supermarkets in cities like Bangkok and Singapore now stock dedicated vegan sections.
7. Buddhist Temples
Across Southeast Asia, Buddhist temples often serve free or donation-based vegetarian meals. In Thailand, temples serve jay food. In Vietnam, many temples offer com chay (vegetarian rice plates). In Taiwan and Japan, temple cuisine (shojin ryori) is a refined art form. These meals are not only free but often some of the most authentic plant-based food you will find.
Quick Tips by Region
- Southeast Asia: Look for yellow "jay" flags (Thailand), "chay" signs (Vietnam), and warung sayur (Indonesia). Buddhist influence makes plant-based eating deeply embedded in the culture.
- East Asia: Japan has shojin ryori, Korea has temple food, and Taiwan is one of the most vegan-friendly places on earth. Convenience stores stock soy milk, onigiri, and tofu snacks.
- India: The easiest country in the world for vegetarians. Ask for "no dairy, no ghee" to go fully vegan. South Indian dosas, idli, and sambar are naturally plant-based.
- Europe: Berlin, London, and Lisbon lead the way. Most European cities now have dedicated vegan restaurants. Check our street food guide for more.
The world is more vegan-friendly than ever. With the right apps, a few local phrases, and a willingness to explore, you will eat brilliantly wherever you go.