This installment of our Vegtravelbuddies Interview series features Maria Giurcan who writes about her travel adventures on the Vegan World Trekker. Drawing from her experiences on the road, she shares a wide array of articles and resources on vegan dining, accommodations, food options, and so much more. Learn more about her views as a vegan world traveler and find out some of the tips she shared with us in this interview.
Q: When and why did you become a vegan?
I became vegan in 2001 after attending a presentation about the suffering of dairy cattle. Prior to that, I was vegetarian since age 9 because I thought it was wrong for animals to lose their lives in order to feed humans.
Q: What was it like the first time you traveled as a vegan? What were the challenges you’ve had and what was the most satisfying thing about it?
The first time I traveled as a vegan, it was not too difficult since I used online resources such as Happycow to find dining [options].
Remote villages were more challenging, so I simply asked restaurants to prepare veggie dishes for me with my vegan requirements. Another challenge is when I first started taking organized tours where attendees have no choice but to dine at restaurants selected by the tour guide. The guides then communicate my dietary needs to the restaurant staff.
Most satisfying thing was discovering that there is wonderful vegan dining across the globe and especially wonderful is that you can sometimes find the vegan version of local cuisine specific to that country. Even some remote villages have vegan dining options available.
Another satisfying thing is that I have found not only vegan restaurants and bakeries abroad, but also vegan food markets and vegan shops selling vegan skincare, shoes, and other items.
Q: What inspired you to create your blog? How would you describe it?
My blog was inspired by the fact that I had been doing a decent amount of traveling and had been finding amazing vegan options abroad, so I wanted to help and inform other vegans so that they knew about vegan restaurant scene abroad and would not hesitate to travel anywhere.
I would describe my blog as a resource for almost everything you need to know about vegan travel. The various pages of my website contain information dedicated to vegan travel products and how to prepare for vegan travels. The main page consists of my blog posts about my sightseeing and vegan dining during my domestic and international travels.
Q: Tell us about one of your most memorable experiences as a vegan traveler.
I enjoyed my visit to Berlin, Germany in December of 2016. Located adjacent to each other on the same street were a vegan shoe shop, a vegan café, and a vegan food market. I was able to find specialty vegan chocolate at the market and croissants at the café.
Q: What are the most veggie-friendly cities you’ve visited so far? And which ones are the least?
Tel Aviv, Israel and Berlin, Germany were incredibly vegan-friendly. From local vegan cuisine to vegan ice cream to vegan markets & boutiques, the vegan scene there was amazing.
The least vegan-friendly cities I visited were back in 2001, so I shouldn’t comment since they may have changed at this point. One had many butter & egg dishes. The other had fish sauce in many dishes and not many vegan restaurants.
Q: What was the most unforgettable vegan meal you’ve had so far? How did you find it?
Wow. I’ve enjoyed several memorable vegan meals abroad. They include Russian gourmet plate in Tel Aviv and falafel with local pita bread in Jerusalem, a buffet in Istanbul, a thali meal in India, and vegan breakfast waffles with whipped topping and fruit in Berlin. I also enjoyed vegan versions of local traditional cuisine such as lomosaltado in Cusco, Peru and faijoada in Rio, Brazil. I found most on Happycow, some through my tour guides, and I was invited to the Russian restaurant by a vegan author in Israel who gave me an interview.
Q: Have you been to a place where you had trouble finding veggie-friendly dining options? How did you deal with it?
Yes, I dealt with it by specifically asking the wait staff if they would prepare steamed veggies for me and asked what else could they prepare for me. Since I research my destinations in advance, if I am unable to find vegan-friendly restaurants, I sometimes get a second vegan meal the night before and store it in my hotel/hostel/Airbnb to eat the next night in the town where there are no vegan options.
Other times, I rely on the packaged soup or other dry foods which I pack in my luggage. A third option is to seek out restaurants that serve Thai, Indian, or Mexican food. Then I ask the waiter if they can prepare the Thai meal for me without fish sauce. Usually these 3 ethnic cuisines offer vegan choices and Thai/Indian/Mexican restaurants exist in major cities across the globe.
Q: What are the stereotypes about traveling as a vegan that has been broken in your travels?
Stereotypes that have been broken were that it would be difficult to find vegan versions of international cuisine and desserts and also that it would be difficult to find vegan dining in most remote villages.
Another stereotype was that northern Europe would not be vegan-friendly. Quite the contrary, I found superb vegan dining in Iceland, Sweden, Denmark, Holland, and Norway.
Q: What are some of the vegan travel tips and airport hacks you can share?
- Bring packaged oatmeal cups and soups. Airlines don’t provide vegan breakfast options. Also, if you need to start your tours early and have a packed schedule, you may not have time to go to a restaurant, so packaged vegan foods are important.
- Many airports still don’t have vegan-friendly restaurants, so look for refrigerated cases and grab-and-go items such as fruit, nuts, or veggie wraps.
- Bring vegan-friendly sunscreen, insect repellents, and cough drops with you; as the vegan versions are difficult to find elsewhere.
- Be alert when you are in a new city. If you walk by restaurants, cafes, coffee shops, ice cream shops, bakeries; take a look at their menu on the shop window. I have been pleasantly surprised to find random vegan food finds listed there, although they were not listed on online vegan sites.
Q: Singapore is said to be one of the top destinations for 2018. What was it like for vegan travelers there?
Singapore is wonderful. It is a melting pot of cultures and dining. A large tented food court offers many options including Indian, Malaysian, and other Asian cuisines. I enjoyed my vegan meals.
Q: What would be that one piece of advice you’ll give to those thinking of visiting the country? Any must-try dish you’d recommend?
A visit to the fancy Raffles Hotel is a must.
I don’t have a particular must-try dish for Singapore, only to say check out the huge tented food court. I would say any Indian curry is phenomenal.
Q: What are your top destinations for 2018? Is there a place you’d really want to visit again and why?
My top destinations for 2018 are a vacation in Ghana, and a long weekend in the national parks of Utah and possibly Newfoundland. Ghanian cuisine includes many wonderful vegan options.
The place I would like to visit again is Australia. I only spent a one day layover in Sydney, but would love to return to experience the Great Barrier Reef.
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