Best destinations to visit if you are vegan or vegetarian.

Veganuary may have just finished but with plant-based diets being linked to being beneficial for the environment as well as for ourselves, this might be a change you are looking to implement more permanently or more frequently, if you haven’t already. In the UK, making the choice to follow a plant-based diet has become easier in recent years, with many more convenient choices available to us in supermarkets and restaurants. Can we still have that authentic travelling experience and enjoy all the amazing cuisine on offer worldwide whilst still trying to adhere to a plant-based diet despite many cultures still relying on animal sources as their main food source? Yes you can, you’ll just need to be a bit more careful with your choices and watch out for some hidden extras. Here a few destinations you might want to try for your next venture.

Taiwan

The Taiwanese government actively promote a vegetarian diet as a healthy choice and with at least 10% of the population following a vegetarian diet, vegetarian food can be easy to find. Dairy isn’t very common here either and it is quite obvious to spot when it is being used. In Taiwan you’ll find plenty of choice for vegetarian restaurants as well as cheap buffet options. Expect healthy vegetable and beancurd dishes including mock meat dishes made of gluten or soya. Be careful though to look out for fish in the sauces if you are following a strict vegan or vegetarian diet.

India

Restaurant menus in India often differentiate between Vegetarian and Non-Vegetarian options. Avoiding dairy could prove tricky in the north and some vegetarian options in the pricier restaurants might involve paneer, a type of cottage cheese. Coconut milk is quite prevalent in the southern regions so trying to avoid dairy is rarely a problem. Most southern dishes are predominantly vegetable based and typical dishes include masala dosa (rice pancake served with potato or vegetable filling) and idli (steamed rice cake with curry or chutneys). Be careful to look out for Ghee, a clarified butter used in most dishes.

Jordan

You might think of a lamb kebab as a typical Middle Eastern dish but actually mezze dishes, which are mostly vegetarian, are extremely popular in this region. Fill your plate with hummus, baba ghanoush (aubergine cooked with tomato and onion), grilled vegetables and bean dishes. Street food favourites like falafel are cheap, filling, and delicious! Start your day with Ful Medames – fava beans, boiled and crushed or Mujaddara, a lentil and rice dish. You’ll find an abundance of olives, tomatoes, lemons, and herbs to add extra taste to your meals and leave you with a healthy glow. Other countries in the region like Lebanon, Egypt and much of the Middle East are brilliant for vegans too. Be careful to request that yoghurt has not been mixed into your dishes. It can be easily spotted but sometimes it is mixed in before serving.

Sri Lanka

Here you will find a huge range of vegetarian curries available which are usually served with rice. If you still enjoy a ‘meaty’ texture to your curries why not try a Jackfruit Curry. Other possibly unfamiliar vegetables you’ll find a lot of here include breadfruit, gourds, murunga and plantain. Other popular dishes include Hopper – a bowl-shaped pancake made from coconut milk batter which is typically served with egg in the middle although other choices are available depending on the establishment. Check if your hopper can be served plain or with a vegan option in it. Alternatively, String Hoppers are rice noodles usually served with dahl or curry but beware they do enjoy their curries quite hot! Sri Lanka is another destination where ghee is popular, so always check in advance.

If you are looking for on the go tips and ideas on where to eat try the Happy Cow app – a directory of restaurants for many cities worldwide.