Traveling as a vegan is exciting. It can also be exhausting. Imagine landing in a country where meat, cheese, butter, and fish appear on nearly every menu.
Even a dish that looks vegetable-based can hide hidden animal products. Some countries are easy for plant-based travelers. Others make vegan eating a serious challenge.
This guide explores the hardest countries for vegans to navigate and shows how to survive, stay healthy, and enjoy the journey.
We based this guide on thousands of traveler experiences. Reddit threads, travel blogs, forums, and social media were scoured to find real stories of vegans abroad. This isn’t about stereotypes. It’s about practical, lived experience: where vegans struggle, what they can eat, and how they can avoid surprises.
1. France
France is the dream of any foodie. Butter, cream, and cheese define the cuisine.
For vegans, this is a constant obstacle. In Paris, Lyon, and Bordeaux, the vegan scene is slowly growing, with restaurants offering plant-based versions of classic French dishes. Yet outside major cities, small-town chefs often add butter or eggs to sauces without thinking.
Asking for a vegan dish can draw confused stares. Even salads may come with cheese, and soups often contain chicken stock.
Markets like Marché Bastille in Paris are lifesavers. Fresh produce, bread, and vegan spreads make survival possible. Learning a few phrases is essential. Saying “sans viande, sans beurre” ensures that the chef understands your request.
Some Parisian bakeries like VG Pâtisserie even craft vegan pastries that resemble traditional French treats.
France teaches patience. Vegan travelers must plan carefully, carry snacks, and accept that adventure comes with effort.
2. Argentina
Argentina’s identity is intertwined with beef. The asado, a barbecue ritual, is more than food—it is a national tradition.
Vegan travelers often encounter confusion. Even in Buenos Aires, many restaurants offer only basic salads and vegetables. Local culture rarely views plant-based eating as a normal choice.
Yet pockets of hope exist. Vegan restaurants like Sacro and Vegan Fox creatively reinterpret Argentinian classics.
Markets increasingly sell vegan empanadas, often filled with lentils or seasonal vegetables. Joining local Facebook groups provides up-to-date recommendations. Eating in Argentina demands flexibility.
Travelers need creativity with side dishes, protein bars for emergencies, and a willingness to educate restaurant staff about veganism.
3. Japan
Japanese cuisine appears simple, but it hides challenges for vegans.
Dashi, a fish-based broth, and bonito flakes often lurk in soups, sauces, and even vegetable dishes. Telling a restaurant “no meat” is rarely enough. Many chefs assume fish is acceptable for vegetarians, leading to surprises on the plate.
Buddhist temple cuisine, shojin ryori, is a hidden treasure. Entirely plant-based, it showcases centuries-old traditions.
In cities, chains like T’s Tantan serve vegan ramen, while health food stores stock plant-based staples. Traveling in Japan requires a translation app like Naver Papago, diligence in reading labels, and patience with waitstaff. While the culture is respectful, miscommunication is easy.
Japan challenges vegans to be both careful and adventurous.
4. Spain
Spain loves jamón, seafood, and dairy. Dishes that appear vegetable-based may still include hidden ingredients.
The Basque Country is especially challenging, though tourist cities like Barcelona and Madrid offer more vegan options. Restaurants such as Teresa Carles present plant-based versions of Mediterranean classics, while tapas bars may offer patatas bravas without cheese.
Language matters. Saying “sin jamón ni pescado” clarifies your request. Outside major cities, vegan options are minimal. Travelers must embrace simplicity: fresh bread, olives, and vegetables often form the bulk of meals.
Spain demands adaptability, patience, and an appreciation for subtle flavors that might be new to plant-based palates.
5. Cuba
Cuba relies heavily on pork, even in rice and bean dishes. Many local preparations include lard. Vegetable options are basic and repetitive, often plain rice, boiled vegetables, or tropical fruits.
Markets, called agromercados, offer mango, guava, and papaya, which are fresh, abundant, and inexpensive.
Survival often requires kitchen access. Packing protein bars and being ready to cook is essential. Learning “sin carne ni grasa de cerdo” prevents accidental ingestion of pork fat.
In Cuba, vegan travelers quickly learn the importance of preparation, creativity, and a sense of humor. The struggle is real, but so are the rewards of local fruits and simple plant-based dishes.
6. Philippines
The Philippines is a tropical paradise with a meat-heavy culinary culture. Shrimp paste and fish sauce appear in nearly every traditional dish.
Even vegetables are sometimes cooked with animal products. Cities like Manila have vegan restaurants such as Cosmic and Green Bar, but outside major hubs, options are extremely limited.
Tropical fruits are abundant, providing essential nutrition. Mangoes, bananas, coconuts, and durian are available in local markets.
Travelers benefit from kitchen access in their accommodations and should master phrases like “walang karne, walang isda, walang gatas.” The Philippines tests both patience and creativity.
Success depends on planning and flexibility, and a willingness to enjoy fresh, raw ingredients when cooked options are scarce.
7. China
China poses unique challenges. “Vegetarian” does not equal vegan. Many vegetable dishes include oyster sauce, fish, or small amounts of meat.
Language barriers add difficulty. Even careful ordering may result in hidden animal products.
In cities like Shanghai and Beijing, temple restaurants and vegan chains exist. Travelers should learn key phrases: “wǒ chī sù” (I eat vegetarian) and “bú yào ròu hé hǎixiān” (no meat or seafood). Translation apps can prevent mistakes.
Supermarkets carry vegan staples, but constant vigilance is necessary. Vegan travel in China is a test of observation, patience, and persistence.
8. Mongolia
Mongolia’s extreme climate shaped its cuisine. Meat and dairy dominate every meal. Mutton, beef, and yak milk are staples, and even vegetables may be cooked in sheep fat.
Ulaanbaatar has a few vegan-friendly restaurants, like Luna Blanca, but they are rare.
Packing snacks, booking accommodations with kitchens, and visiting markets for dried fruits and nuts is essential. Rural areas provide little understanding of veganism. Travelers need to explain dietary needs repeatedly.
Mongolia challenges both patience and resourcefulness, but it rewards those willing to adapt.
9. Norway
Norwegian cuisine centers on fish and meat. Salmon, mutton stew, and meatballs are everywhere. Even in Oslo, some restaurants may assume vegetarian options include fish.
Vegan alternatives are improving, with establishments like Nordvegan offering plant-based Nordic cuisine.
Supermarkets such as Rema 1000 provide some staples. Travelers must research restaurants in advance and always clarify ingredients. Norway presents challenges in portion size, price, and accessibility, making careful planning crucial for plant-based diets.
10. Italy
Italy is iconic for pizza, pasta, and cheese. Hidden ingredients complicate vegan dining. Pasta may contain eggs, pizza dough can have lard, and sauces often rely on cheese or anchovies.
Cities like Rome and Milan feature vegan restaurants such as Pizzikotto and Flower Burger.
Traditional snacks like farinata, a chickpea pancake common in Liguria, are naturally vegan. Travelers benefit from learning “senza formaggio” (without cheese) and confirming sauces.
Italy requires attention to detail and flexibility, rewarding travelers with rich flavors and culinary innovation.
11. Serbia
Serbia is meat-centric. Pljeskavica, sarma, and other dishes dominate menus. Side vegetables may be cooked in animal fat or topped with kajmak, a cream product.
Belgrade offers modern vegan restaurants like Radost Fina Kuhinjica, but options outside the capital are limited.
Markets are invaluable for fresh fruits and nuts. Some bakeries sell vegan pastries like pita sa krompirom, but confirmation is always necessary.
Vegan travelers in Serbia must balance preparation with openness to local variations.
12. South Korea
Korean cuisine features hidden animal products. Kimchi often contains fish sauce or shrimp paste. Fruits are expensive, and traditional dishes frequently incorporate meat.
Temple cuisine, called sachal eumsik, is vegan but can be difficult to find outside specialized locations.
Seoul is the best city for vegan options. Plant Cafe and Loving Hut offer creative plant-based meals. Travelers should carry translation cards and learn to identify non-vegan ingredients.
Navigating Korea requires diligence, financial planning, and patience.
13. Albania
Albania relies heavily on meat and dairy. Vegan dishes are rare, though fasule, a bean soup, can sometimes be veganized.
Accommodations with kitchens allow travelers to cook their own meals. Local markets are excellent for fruits and vegetables.
Learning “Pa mish, pa bulmet” (no meat, no dairy) ensures clear communication. Veganism in Albania requires careful planning, flexibility, and self-sufficiency.
14. Kazakhstan
Kazakh cuisine is centered on meat, including horse meat, and dairy-based drinks like kumis. Cities like Almaty have a few vegan-friendly restaurants, such as Veg Burger.
Outside urban centers, options are extremely limited.
Travelers need kitchen access, snacks, and fresh produce from markets like Green Bazaar. Communication is essential. Using translation cards and explaining dietary needs repeatedly prevents mistakes.
Kazakhstan is demanding for vegans but can be navigated with preparation.
15. Namibia
Namibia’s cuisine revolves around game meat, beef, and dried meats like biltong. Even vegetables may be cooked in animal fat. Staples such as pap, a maize porridge, and butternut squash are often vegan-friendly if prepared carefully.
Markets provide fresh fruit options like melons and dates. Vegan travelers benefit from carrying protein bars, cooking when possible, and being ready to explain dietary restrictions.
Namibia tests endurance and resourcefulness, but rewards travelers with fresh, simple ingredients.
16. Portugal
Portugal loves pork, beef, and fish. Even basic vegetable soups may contain chorizo or fish stock. Cities like Lisbon and Porto offer vegan-friendly restaurants, including Ao 26 Vegan Food Project and DaTerra.
Travelers should clarify ingredients with phrases like “sem carne, sem peixe” (no meat, no fish) and stick to city restaurants. Packing emergency snacks is wise.
Portugal requires vigilance, but the culinary creativity and local produce make vegan travel possible.
Bottom line
Across these sixteen countries, patterns emerge. Vegan travelers face hidden animal products, cultural misunderstandings, and limited options outside major cities.
Markets, kitchen access, translation tools, and preparation are essential everywhere. Patience and flexibility become part of the journey.
Even in the most challenging destinations, fresh fruits, vegetables, legumes, and grains are available. With planning, curiosity, and resilience, vegan travelers can thrive, discover unique dishes, and even inspire local restaurants to adopt plant-based options.
Travel as a vegan may be hard in some countries, but it is rewarding, educational, and full of adventure.