The world doesn’t always make things easy for vegans.
Animal products are everywhere, forcing those of us who want a plant-based diet to work extra hard to find dining options.
But eventually, vegans can find their routine, determining which local restaurants provide the best options and learning to cook for themselves.
Then you go on vacation, and all bets are off. You might discover a vegan vacation resort that meets all your needs, but you might also have to scramble to make sure you can stay meatless while on the road.
With that in mind, we’ve put together this list of tips for vacationing while vegan.
- It’s ok if you can’t find a vegan restaurant
Don’t panic if you can’t find a vegan restaurant when you arrive in your location, Colette Coleman, a New York vegan and educational consultant, told the Washington Post.
“Often it’s better to find a great vegan dish at a local restaurant serving diverse dishes,” she said in the Post’s guide to vegan vacationing.
That meant ratatouille and lentil stew in France, rice and beans in Latin American countries and salads and vegetable sides on the “contorni” section of Italian menus.
- Use social media
You can use instagram for more than just sharing photos from your trip. Use hashtags like “#vegantravel” to find dishes and restaurants from around the world.
You can do the same thing on Pinterest. Searching for things like “vegan vacation resort Costa Rica” or “vegan restaurant London” can give you dining options that you might otherwise miss.
- Learn the lingo
When traveling to another country, it’s always a good idea to learn some useful phrases in the local language. Vegan travelers can take this a step further by learning how to ask things like “Is there meat in that?”
You should also learn to read the labels on food products so you can recognize the words for things like “egg” “gelatin” and “honey.”
- Talk to your hotel ahead of time
Before you book a stay in a hotel, get in touch with their customer service department to find out how vegan-friendly they are.
The concept of a vegan vacation resort isn’t as unusual as it once was, but some places provide more vegan-friendly dining options than others.
You may also want to talk to the local tourism board to find vegan stores and restaurants in the place you’ll be visiting.
- Bring some snacks
If you can’t find vegan dining options when you’re exploring a new locale, you might want to have some snacks on hand to tide you over until you get back to your vegan-friendly resort.
These snacks could include fruit or veggies, granola bars, or homemade trail mix made from nuts, dried fruit and cereal.
You may also want to bring a cooler filled with things like hummus, peanut butter and banana sandwiches and other items.
Visit Our Vegan Vacation Resort in Costa Rica
Vacationing while vegan can be a challenge, but we’ve made vegan travel in Costa Rican simple at Ylang Ylang Beach resort.
Our restaurant offers a delicious and extensive vegan menu, with meats and fish replaced with tofu, coconut milk instead of cream and plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables.
We’re proud of our tasty vegan menu and of the PETA-friendly designation our resort and restaurant have received. Contact us today to learn more.
