How Going Vegan Changed the Way I Travel
Though I fancied myself a foodie, which as a kid meant loving cooking shows, that wasn’t always my reality. When my family traveled, we defaulted to the familiar… usually Indian vegetarian restaurants in cities that had so much more to offer, because that’s what my parents were comfortable with. Sure, I was a kid, and my parents were in charge, but looking back, the fact that I visited beautiful countries like Singapore and Malaysia, and that the only food I recall is pasta and pizza, hurts the inner foodie in me.
It never even crossed my mind to seek out vegetarian takes on local classics like Hainanese chicken rice, Nasi Lemak, a Rendang, or a Bee Hoon, because I had never heard of these dishes, which were the soul of the region’s cuisine. Instead, there I was eating pasta. No shade to pasta... LOVE me some pasta. But I'm fairly certain Italy has that more than covered.
Going vegan in my late teens piqued my curiosity about food in a way I had never been before. It grew beyond watching fun cooking shows, to me actually getting creative in the kitchen, learning about new culinary cultures, and in the era of social media, I was exposed to no shortage of plant-based food content that showcased the remarkable diversity from around the world. Sometimes, I’d try to recreate my take on these dishes, like a traditional Pad Thai, Malai kofta, Jajjangmyeon, Filipino Kare Kare, the list goes on. Exploring the world through food brought me joy, and that joy didn't stay in the kitchen. It traveled with me.
As I got older and started exploring cities more independently, food became my guiding star. Not the hotel. Not the landmarks. Not the guided tour. The food — specifically, the plant-based version of whatever that city was known for — became the thing I planned my trips around.
I started proactively seeking out restaurants and spots that recreate animal-free takes on local traditional dishes. Places that take the flavors and textures that once relied entirely on animal-derived ingredients and find a way to honor them without. It is, honestly, one of the most creative and exciting corners of the food world — and it exists in every city I've visited if you know where to look.
Here's what I've come to believe: food is one of the most honest ways to connect with a place.
Not the tourist version of a place — the actual place. The neighborhoods that don't make it onto the highlight reel. The tiny restaurants where locals eat lunch on a Tuesday. The market stalls, the hole-in-the-wall spots, the places you only find because you were specifically looking for a vegan version of something hyper-local, and the search led you somewhere unexpected.
My restaurant lists take me to all corners of every city I visit. And in doing so, they give me a glimpse into what life actually looks like there — not just what it looks like through the lens of a visitor passing through.
I can't imagine traveling the way I do now without Veganism being the driving force. It transformed me from someone who sought comfort in the familiar to someone who seeks out the unfamiliar specifically because of the food. That is not a small shift. That is a completely different relationship with the world.
Which brings me back to Singapore and Malaysia.
I owe those two countries a proper visit. One where I actually show up for the food — the vegan Hainanese chicken rice, the plant-based nasi lemak, all the things my younger self didn't even know to look for. And honestly, why stop there? A full Southeast Asian adventure feels like the natural evolution of that redo trip. Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia — cuisines that are so naturally rich in plant-based tradition that I'd have no shortage of places to explore.
Cheers to honoring your call to travel with intention, eat with curiosity, and connect with places in a way that goes far beyond what most guidebooks will ever show you.
If you let it, food will take you everywhere worth going.
Have a city you think I need to add to the vegan travel list? Drop it in the comments — I'm always taking recommendations.
