How To Travel As A Vegan in India

The word “Vegan” has attained popularity in the last decade or two. People have become more vocal and aware of animals’ rights and welfare. With this, the concerns relating to our environment are also fuming worldwide. All these packed together has motivated many of us to turn vegan.

In layman’s term, to be VEGAN means to avoid consuming or using any product, from food, cosmetic, clothing to anything, which is derived from animals or harms it in any way.

Vegan cafes, restaurants, bakery shops, guesthouses, hostels, etc. have become the next trendsetter. But sadly, these places have only gained momentum in urban areas of developing and developed countries. Rural areas and third world countries are yet to embrace this new wave of change. In many major countries, the concept of vegan is still alien.
Given this, you need to be extra cautious and plan meticulously about how to travel as a vegan. Being vegan doesn’t come easy.
To help you with your next travel, here are 9 things to keep in mind while travelling as a vegan:

1. Dig a little deeper about your destination

It is vital that you do thorough research about your destination. This will give an idea as to how easy or difficult it is going to be to find vegan food and accommodation in that desired city. If the place already has many vegan options, then you can list down the best ones and plan your travel accordingly.

But only major cities have vegan options. In case if you are planning to travel to an island, deserts or the countryside then it will pose a problem. In such cases, a stay can be managed but for food, you will have to look up what is already available or carry your food altogether. The second option could be a tedious task. Given this reason, you cannot miss researching the place of your visit.

2. Always call your host and check

Accommodation is crucial be it a hostel or a five-star hotel. Pick up a phone on your host or staff members and ask them if they are vegan friendly or at least serve vegan food. If they say yes, then you are lucky. But if they deny then you have an option to find another place. Don’t forget to do this exercise before making the payment for your booking.

3. Be Linguistic 

We live in a world where hundreds of languages are spoken as a medium of communication. English is one of the largest spoken languages. Despite that, there are many regions where people only talk in their local language and its dialect. If you are visiting one such place, then you need to learn their local language which can be tricky. You will have to memorize how to say the vegan phrases like no-egg, no-milk, so on and forth in their language. This way you can communicate your food restrictions to the local waiters and food vendors.

4. Connect with Active Local Vegan Groups

Social media is a vast playground especially Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest. You can find anything and everything there. Few days before you take your flight, look for active vegan groups or accounts in the location of your travel. You can either follow or make a request to the groups to count you in. Such groups are proven to be helpful in many ways – from finding suitable accommodation to food places and other tourist-related activities. Ask for suggestions in such groups and you will come across many vegan-friendly options which are otherwise hard to find.

5. Prepare for a Starving Day

Uncertainty is the way of life. Don’t be fooled by hundreds of vegan cafes and hotels that google is showing in your destination. Carry enough vegan snacks and bars for a starving day. These snacks could also be a great saviour during a commute. While hopping from one destination to another, finding vegan food could be a herculean task. That extra vegan bar in your bag pack could save the day.

6. Prefer a Stay With Kitchen

To avoid all the hustle, find an Airbnb or a hotel where you can cook your food. A personal kitchen will make life super easy. You can get your ingredients and vegetables from the local farmers’ market and cook meals. This way you don’t have to worry at all.

Photo by Ella Olsson from Pexels

7. Do not forget your bag of cruelty-free essentials

Being vegan is not just about food. But it also includes avoiding usage of all products that harm animals in any manner. Most of the toiletry and cosmetic products we use are tested on animals. As vegans, we don’t use such goods.

Prepare a list full of all products that you would need during your travel and carry it in wholesome quantity. In case of an emergency, you can make use of the website to buy cruelty-free products available in all countries, worldwide.

8. Go On HappyCow

Sites like HappyCow are the best site for vegan people. It provides you with a list of vegan cafes, restaurants, accommodations, etc. in the nearby area. It also has reviews from the earlier visitors can be quite helpful. Make use of such options to make your vegan travel easy.

9. Get Creative While Ordering Food

Vegan restaurants might be plenty, but chefs are not always that great. This is because the vegan revolution has not reached all corners of the world. Go through the menu, ask questions, give suggestions to mix-up ingredients and create your own scrumptious meal. Don’t shy away!

The Takeaway

These are just the basics that will save your day. But every journey has its own experience coupled with problems. There will be roadblocks while travelling as a vegan. You can get through it your way. Do not forget your travel journal to pen down your memories from the trip and a playlist of soothing yet exciting travel songs!

Guest Author Bio: Shristi Patni

Shristi is the founder of F and B Recipes. She enjoys writing about Soul Healing and Transitions Counseling. Formerly the Chief Content Officer at Raletta, she is currently working on her second cookbook.     You can email her at : shristipatni@gmail.com
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Disclaimer: The opinions expressed within this article are the personal opinions of the author. The facts and opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of Nitin Hajela or The Foodie Tales and they does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.

About Post Author

Nitin Hajela

nitin.hajela@gmail.com

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