Introduction
More travelers than ever are seeking destinations where veganism is deeply rooted in culinary tradition. While modern plant-based cuisine is thriving, many regions have eaten plant-based for centuries due to religious, environmental, or cultural influences. These destinations offer more than just great vegan food—they provide an authentic, immersive experience where plant-based dishes are a way of life. By exposing ourselves to these traditions, we can have an authentic travel experience, while truly appreciating what veganism means for other cultures, and further connecting ourselves to our own vegan motivations!
If you’re looking for naturally vegan-friendly cuisines without modern modifications, these five countries should be at the top of your list in 2025.
1. India
India has the highest percentage of vegetarians in the world, with many regions being almost entirely meat-free. Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism have influenced a plant-based culture for centuries, resulting in a colorful and diverse array of traditionally plant-based dishes. And while dairy products like ghee and yoghurt are still common in India, most dishes do not rely on them and can easily be adapted.
There are countless vegan Indian dishes, with each region varying wildly!
Highlights:
Dal Tadka: a wonderfully rich yellow lentil dal, cooked with spices and finished off with a tadka (fried spice mix) of cumin seeds, garlic, and other spices. Some versions of dal are cooked with ghee, so be sure to ask!
Chole Bature: originating from the Punjab region, this chaat is very popular among locals. It consists of a light puffy bread fried in oil until it expands, served with a rich spicy chickpea curry. Perfect for spice lovers!
Dosa: this South Indian specialty is incredibly unique and delicious and comes in too many forms to count! It consists of a thin rice flour pancake, filled with delicately spiced potatoes and other seasonal produce. And it is always served with a colorful selection of lentil sambar, dal, and spicy chutneys.
Idli: a unique South Indian breakfast dish, consisting of steamed rice flour buns with three or four delicious chutneys and sambars to dip them in!
Samosa Chaat: an indulgent street food of deep fried crumbled samosa, covered in the fragrant chickpea or veg curry of the day and sweet tamarind sauce. Sometimes served with dairy yoghurt, so always ask for it without!
Veg Thali: a wonderfully colorful round plate of different dishes available at most Indian restaurants, a Thali is a great starting point if you want to try a variety of Indian curries, breads, and pickles. But, it often contains some dairy, so be sure to specify!
Jalebi: a delicious sweet treat, Jalebi’s are sugary deep fried strings of batter. Not the healthiest, but a wonderful post-dinner treat! Always make sure they are fried in oil, and not ghee.
Best Regions:
If you’re stuck on choosing one region of India to visit, you can’t really go wrong, but our recommendation would be to go to Gujarat or Rajasthan, as these culturally rich states are almost entirely vegetarian. South Indian states like Kerala and Tamil Nadu, also provide a beautiful mix of gorgeous natural landscapes and traditional south Indian plant-based cuisine.
2. Ethiopia
Ethiopian food is growing in popularity around the world, due to its unique flavors and healthy palette of ingredients like leafy greens, pulses, and ancient fermented breads. Due to fasting traditions of Ethiopian Orthodox Christians, plant-based food is firmly rooted in tradition here, so it’s easy to find wonderfully diverse stews and curries to satisfy your tastebuds.
Meals in Ethiopia are a wonderful cultural experience, eaten communally, and consist most often of a huge round plate of injera (a spongy flatbread), with stews and curries piled on top. Food is traditionally shared and eaten with hands, so be ready to dive in and get messy!
Highlights:
Injera: (fermented bread) served with various lentil stews and greens. Traditionally, injera is made of teff flour, an ancient grain with incredible health benefits.
Shiro wat: fragrantly spiced chickpea stew in a tomato sauce.
Gomen: braised collard greens.
Fasolia: stir fried green beans, carrots and other veg!
Best Regions:
You will find excellent plant-based options all over the country. Naturally, the capital Addis Ababa has the widest range of restaurants, markets and street food stalls!
3. Indonesia
Indonesian cuisine, shaped by cultural, religious, and economic influences, offers a fragrant and spicy array of plant-based dishes. As the birthplace of tempeh—a meaty, fermented soybean staple now gaining popularity in the West—Indonesia has embraced this protein-rich food for centuries. Found in nearly every warung (small street eatery), tempeh is a dietary cornerstone. On street corners, you’ll often see small bags of hulled soybeans fermenting overnight, transforming into fresh, organic tempeh ready for the next day’s meals.
Highlights:
Gado Gado: a beautifully rich peanut sauce, with raw, steamed or fried vegetables and white rice. Simple, delicious, and warming!
Tempeh Nasi Goreng: famous Indonesian fried rice. Traditional, high in protein, deliciously spicy and fragrant. What’s not to like!
Sayur Lodeh: vegetable-based fragrant coconut curry, served with tempeh and rice.
Sayur Asem: a lighter vegetable soup with tamarind broth, including ingredients like cabbage, chayote, and snake beans.
Street food: including sweet rice cakes, banana fritters, grilled tempeh skewers.
Best Regions:
Bali offers the widest range of tourism opportunities, as well as some incredible food. But if you’re looking for a slightly more authentic experience, Lombok and Java offer some of the best plant-based options, alongside more traditional accommodation and cultural experiences.
If you’re really adventurous, Sumatra provides an off-the-beaten-track culinary experience. Watch out for green Sumatran chili’s however, they look a lot like green beans, but are 1000x hotter!
4. Greece
Traditional Greek fasting periods, as well as the largely plant-based nature of the Mediterranean islands diet, make Greece a wonderfully authentic vegan destination. Meat is still common in Greece but it’s the naturally vegan side dishes, starters, breads and dips that steal the show!
Highlights:
Fasolada: beautifully rich white bean soup, served with crusty fresh bread or flatbreads.
Dolmades: a personal favorite. Fragrant rice soaked in lemon juice, wrapped in vine leaves, and a staple on any Greek dinner table.
Baked eggplant: smoky eggplant baked and soaked in olive oil and tomato sauce. Best eaten with fresh flatbreads.
Revithada: baked chickpeas in a rich tomato and olive oil sauce. Butter beans are also commonly used.
Melitzanosalata: similar to babaganoush, this wonderfully smoky and creamy aubergine dip is to die for.
Best Regions:
Everyone’s heard of holiday highlights like Santorini and Crete—both amazing destinations, but if you’re looking to get off the tourist path and experience authentic Greek culture and cuisine—make your way to Kephalonia or Zakynthos.
The back streets of Athens also offer some hidden vegan gems, sharing their take on traditional Greek dishes.
5. Thailand
Whilst many people eat animal products in Thailand, plant-based dishes can be found on every menu, and there is a strong cultural tradition of eating vegan. Thai Buddhists have practiced a plant-based diet for centuries, especially during the “Tesagan Gin Je” (Vegetarian Festival).
Highlights:
Pad Thai Jay: a classic, flavorful stir-fried noodle dish made with soft rice noodles, crunchy peanuts, bean sprouts, and tofu, all tossed in a tangy tamarind sauce.
Som Tam: a refreshing and fiery green papaya salad, pounded together with lime, chili, garlic, and peanuts, delivering a perfect balance of sweet, sour, salty, and spicy flavors.
Gaeng Om: a fragrant vegetable curry, packed with fresh Thai herbs, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, and an assortment of colorful vegetables, simmered in a light and spicy broth.
Sticky Rice with Mango: a unique dessert featuring glutinous rice soaked in rich coconut milk, topped with juicy mango slices.
Best regions:
While the Thai islands are famous tourist destinations, the most popular ones have lost some of the traditional charm. For the most authentic Thai experience, the northern mountainous regions around Chang Mai, Pai, and Chang Rai are the places to be. In fact, in recent years Chang Mai has become one of the top vegan destinations in Asia!
Conclusion
When going vegan, it’s often assumed that authentic and culturally traditional experiences will become harder to find and in some cases that can be true. But that doesn’t mean they are not still out there! These five countries offer naturally plant-based cuisines that allow travelers to immerse themselves in traditional culture and experience authentic dishes without modern modifications.
If you’ve got the vegan travel bug, but are craving an off the beaten track experience, then one of these five destinations could be for you!
