Travelling the world has never been easier. Flights are cheap and your dream vacation is just a click away. However, travelling as a vegan can be a little more daunting. Thankfully, with the global rise in veganism and with the help of the internet, finding the best vegan haunts and eating like a local can be easy! Follow these simple tips to make the most of your holiday.

1. Follow vegan travel bloggers 

The best place to start when planning your next holiday is to see what others have done and get some inspiration. Make sure to follow  your favourite vegan travel bloggers to get the inside scoop on the best places to eat and drink. 

Blogs to get you started include: 

Vegan Sisters: get started with their vegan guide Budapest and a vegan guide to Belgrade for a European getaway. While not solely travel bloggers they do have excellent vegan travel content and talk about a variety of vegan issues. 

The Veggie Visa: a vegan blog dedicated to inspiring and educating everyone about the vegan lifestyle including vegan eating, cooking, and traveling

Veggies Abroad: a great blog featuring some action-packed travel guides and the best places to find mouthwatering vegan treats. 

2. Bring your own supplements

If you are vegan you are likely taking a supplement to ensure you get all the essential nutrients you need, including B12! Don’t forget to pack these when preparing for your trip, making sure to bring enough to cover the length of your stay if possible. Vitamins can often be more expensive abroad. 

Not sure if you need a supplement? Check out this page on vegan supplements and what you need to stay in peak health.  

3. Hit up the local farmer’s markets

Try out all the local and seasonal veg by visiting a farmers market. A great way to get cheap fresh fruit and veg, try new foods, and stay healthy during your travels. Keep your eye out for any specific vegan food stands!

4.Get Social 

Get chatting with locals or fellow travellers. You never know who might be vegan or who might have a fantastic recommendation to try. 

If you are an avid social media user, put out the call and ask your followers for any places you need to visit while you are abroad

5. Try a vegan cooking class

Look for a vegan cooking class near you as a great way to brush up on your culinary skills, make friends, and taste the local cuisine. Depending on where you are in the world, classes aren’t super pricy and are a fun way to meet people. 

6. Call ahead 

If you are flying or getting a train, usually when you book you can choose a vegan meal option. Although it never hurts to pack your own snacks for long-haul journeys! 

If you are staying at a hotel or B&B, make sure to make a note on your reservation or call ahead to let them know you are vegan and check they can cater to you. Most places are pretty happy to ensure they have the right food available to make your stay as lovely as possible. 

7. Research research research

Research is your best friend. Utilise all the tools at your disposal to make sure you have the best vegan trip possible. Following vegan bloggers is a great place to start but you can also use HappyCow for some excellent food recommendations. HappyCow has loads of hidden gems and is run by vegans! 

If you’ve done your research and it looks like you are heading somewhere that really just isn’t vegan-friendly, prepare around that. That might look like booking somewhere you can cook your own meals instead of eating out and bringing some of your own snacks so that you have something tasty and healthy to eat while traveling.

8. Search out health food shops 

Following along from the above, if you are struggling to find vegan goods search out your nearest health food shop. These are like the holy grail for vegans. No matter where you are in the world your local health food shop is likely to sell you a variety of vegan snacks and foods to keep you fuelled for all your adventures. If not health food shops, sometimes larger drug stores (the ones that sell everything from medicine to baby food to makeup) have a health foods section with vegan options. 

9. Brush up on the language 

Not only is it polite to try and learn some of the language basics such as please or thank you. Knowing common vegan terminology like dairy-free milk or vegan can make your life just a bit easier. 

Check out The Veganary for some helpful vegan phrases for every country, as well as your guide to shopping and reading packaging so you don’t accidentally buy something with that pesky milk powder they like to put in everything.

10. Accept mistakes will happen

Sometimes with language barriers and different cultures mistakes will happen and you might end up with a meal that isn’t vegan. If you have tried your best this is not the end of the world. If it seems doable you can try and send it back and communicate the issue or if possible eat around the non-vegan parts. It might not be ideal but it is better to eat what you can instead of wasting food. 

With these 10 easy tips your next holiday should be a breeze. What other tips do you have for making travelling as a vegan as easy as possible? Let me know in the comments. 

Looking for your next travel adventure? Read all about the best vegan destinations here.