Ultimate Veg Travel Guide

Paging all passengers! Your vegetarain vacation is about to start. Whether your plans include a room at the Ritz or a tent with a view, every great escape requires a traveler’s checklist, and a veg voyage can be especially tricky to navigate: where to go, what to pack, and what to eat—both in transit and once you’ve reached your destination. To guide you on your excursions, we’ve solicited the sage advice of savvy veg travelers. These pros, who travel for work and for play, know how to maximize the meat-free fun wherever they are in the world, and we want the same for you. So, grab your passport and your sense of adventure. Away we go.

PACK LIKE A PRO  Smart Tips for Eco-Friendly Chicks by Rory Freedman, author of Beg and Skinny Bitch “I travel a lot for work and pleasure. While I’m a bit of a minimalist, there are a few special things I like to tote while traveling.”

1. Scarf. Not only does it add a degree of fashion chic, but on airplanes, it can be used for warmth, to cover your eyes when trying to sleep, or to block unpleasant smells. A scarf can also be helpful if you’re going to a city or sacred temple where head-covering is the norm.

2. Sarong. It might seem redundant when you’ve already got your scarf, but sarongs are multifunctional. Compared to towels, sarongs are much lighter, take up less space in your bag, and dry faster. And if you stay out late and the night gets chilly, you’ve got a little wrap for yourself.

3. Refillable water bottle and reusable utensils. I eat a lot of street food and food-on-the-go when traveling. Bringing a reusable bamboo fork for the trip means fewer forks tossed in the trash. And if I’m going to a country where the water is safe to drink (or whenever I travel domestically), I take my trusty water bottle with me.

4. Notebook and pen. I like to have a journal on hand to record the events of the day, so months or years down the road, I can remember where I went, what I experienced, or who I met. Rereading my travel pages can be as satisfying as looking at pictures (or even more so).

TO-FLY-FOR FOOD  Memorable Meals from Portland to Tokyo by Leanne Mai-ly Hilgart, designer and founder of Vaute Couture Leanne’s love of animals rivals her fondness for vegan food, which she scouts on every vacation. Here, she shares her most lip-smacking travel memories.

1. The Portland Bowl washed down with a Maca & Friends smoothie at Canteen (canteenpdx.com) in Portland, Ore.

2. Vegan dim sum and tea at LockCha Tea Shop (lockcha.com) in Hong Kong Park, Hong Kong.

3. Tofu Benedict plus Red Velvet Pancakes (go splitsies!) at Champs (champsdiner.com) in Brooklyn, N.Y.

4. A bowl of ramen followed by tofu pudding at T’s Tantan (ts-restaurant.jp) in Tokyo.

5. The Radical Reuben with a side of greens and mocha milkshake at The Chicago Diner (veggiediner.com), Chicago.

6. The World Famous “Fish” and Chips at Veg Out (vegoutrestaurant.com) in London, Ont.

7. Enchiladas and Mexican chocolate cake at Gracias Madre (gracias-madre.com) in San Francisco.

8. Handmade hot wings with tater tots and vegan ranch at the Palomino (palominobar.com) in Milwaukee.

PRESCRIPTION FOR HEALTHY ADVENTUREby Joel Fuhrman, MD, family physician and author of The End of Diabetes and Eat to Live It’s fundamental: eat well and you’ll be well. The same applies to eating on the road. Follow Fuhrman’s plan for a healthful voyage.

TRAVEL WITH FOOD, so you’re not hungry and tempted to eat poorly during long  flights or at the airport. I usually make a sandwich of grilled portobellos with sliced avocado, red onion, tomato, and pesto on whole-grain bread.

PACK NUTS AND SEEDS (such as walnuts and sunflower seeds), raisins, oatmeal, and apples in your suitcase. You can make hot oatmeal using the electric coffee maker in the room, or just soak the oatmeal and raisins in water overnight to soften.

PUT YOUR FAVORITE healthful salad dressing in two 3.4-ounce travel containers to take with you. Then you can buy fresh lettuce and tomatoes at any supermarket or pick up a salad with beans at a salad bar.

PICK A HOTEL WITH AMENITIES. Twenty minutes on the elliptical machine at an in-house gym can help relieve travel-related stress and keep you energized.

BEAUTY TO GO

Carry-On Essentials for Savvy Jet-Settersby Ani Phyo, author, Ani’s 15-Day Fat Blast Raw-food goddess Ani Phyo spills her travel-bag beauty essentials. “I do everything to avoid checking luggage—even when I’m off to Asia for two months. Since I only travel with carry-ons, I keep liquids at 3.4 ounces and make sure they fit into that 1-quart Ziploc bag. These are a few of my faves.”

Nutiva Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil I use it as an all-over moisturizer, a shine-booster and anti-frizz product for my hair, and to remove makeup.

Juara Turmeric Antioxidant Radiance Mask I apply this soothing mask to my face after landing to help my skin detox after a long flight.

Kiss My Face Face Factor Sunscreen This cruelty-free, vegan sunscreen comes in travel-friendly 2-ounce tubes and is water resistant too.

Voluspa Candle I love all of their fragrances and pack a small candle to light in my room for aromatherapy. It helps ground me in my new location after travel.

Young Living Essential Oil The Peace & Calming scent is both relaxing and rejuvenating—in other words, perfect for travel.

WHAT TO BUY WHERE  A Globetrotting Gourmet’s Guide to Shopping by Dynise Balcavage, author, Pies and Tarts with Heart This superstar blogger, cookbook author, and wise travelista shares her favorite market scores from around the globe.

1. St. Martin: Kalina Hot Sauce Island-groove, kick-ass hot sauce with an über-cool label.

2. England: Moo Free Banana Chip Chocolate Bar A British friend sent me one and now I’m hooked!

3. Barbados: Guava cheese This fruit “cheese” is vegan!

4. Peru: Aceitunas miraflores A savory olive spread that’s delicious on crackers or bread.

5. Italy: Vin Santo I love to dip vegan biscotti in this famous dessert wine.

6. Brazil: Phebo soaps Find these vegetable-based bars in drugstores throughout Brazil.