Sustainable living has a lot to do with what we eat and switching over to a vegetarian diet is one of the easiest ways you can help do your part to avoid climate change. Why you ask?

Well first off, the population is set to rise over 9 billion by 2050, and we are using up the planet’s natural resources faster than the Earth can replenish them. A plant based diet emits almost 50% fewer greenhouse gas emissions and needs 27% less energy for production compared to meat. When you look at overall environmental footprint, plant based diets are smaller by 42%.

To give an example, a vegetarian diet uses less water to produce than meat. An 8 oz chicken breast takes over 542 liters of water to produce (that’s enough to fill your bathtub 6.5 times!)

If you care about your planet and want to be a sustainable traveller, becoming vegan or vegetarian can be a small step towards making things better. An increase in the number of plant-based restaurants has made it much easier to change your diet. Below are the 10 Best Countries for Vegan and Vegetarian-Friendly Travel that you can travel for sustainable travel.

1. Israel

Israel is considered one of the best sustainable countries in the world. The mix of the traditional Mediterranean diet and the strict dietary laws of Kosher food has made them get away from meat, dairy, and parve products. You can find fish gelatin and honey in their food, but it is much easier to follow veganism here. Israel leads an example of sustainable living in not only the area of food but in many other places like health, the environment, and animal cruelty. Over 5% of the population in Israel claims to be vegan.

The beautiful coastal capital city of Israel, Tel Aviv, is often called the "vegan capital of the world" by their people, and of course, it is worth the title. Not only you can find hummus and falafels here, but also big brands like Dominos and Ben and Jerry serve vegan options on their menu to go with the trend. In fact, many food brands have listed Israel as the country to launch their dairy-free products in the market.

2. Germany

Germany is one of the most vegan-friendly countries. Not only will you find vegan or vegetarian restaurants here, but you will find a whole range of vegan products in grocery shops too. According to a study in 2016, Germany was the leading market for vegan food and drink product launch activity. As a matter of fact, 18% of all global food and drink product launches with vegan claims started from Germany. You can find vegan food everywhere, making it possible for you to travel sustainably.

Currently, 1.6% of the population in Germany are vegan, and nearly 10% are vegetarian. It is one of the highest in Europe and is continuously increasing every year. Even every 1 in 5 Germans in the younger generations (aged 16-24) are buying meat alternatives regularly. Berlin, the capital of Germany, has been featured in countless ‘World’s Most Vegan Cities’ lists, and veganism is still spreading there.

3. United Kingdom

In 2019, vegan products launched in the UK market are more than in any other country in the World. They also had an increase in demand for plant-based food, to an extent that five cities in the top 15 list of vegan Countries worldwide are from the UK. Not only this, but the number of vegans in Great Britain quadrupled between 2014 and 2019.

In the UK, you can find most cuisines and restaurants serving vegan choice. You can find Indian, Chinese, French, Italian, Thai and Mexican food options here as a result of the multicultural people residing in the UK. For starters, you can find Lebanese, Vietnamese, Brazilian, Ethiopian and a lot more. Summing this all up, following a vegan diet in the UK can never be a problem for any tourist. You will find it everywhere and in every form.

4. India

Being a complete vegan can be difficult in India, but being a vegetarian is not a problem. India has more vegetarians than any other country on Earth. You will find vegetarian restaurants almost everywhere you go, even in the small rural areas of India. You can choose from a complete menu of vegetarian dishes. Even all the large food chains like KFC, Burger King and Dominoes will have vegetarian/vegan food options across the country.

Generally, butter, yoghurt, milk and eggs are a part of Indian foods, so if you are looking for vegan choices, you will have to identify which is safe. Asking for ingredients can help you in understanding if the food is vegan. You can always look out for vegetable samosa, pakoras, vegetable biryani, and channa masala, which are all vegan friendly.

5. United States

Recent research shows that there has been a 300% increase in the plant-based diet in the US in the last 15 years. 9.7 million Americans follow vegan diets, which undoubtedly is a huge number. New vegan and vegetarian restaurants are opening up everywhere in the USA, including the small rural towns.

The menu in the restaurants of bigger cities like San Francisco, New York City, Miami, Denver, Los Angeles, Portland, Seattle and Chicago are so creative that even non-vegans are dining in the vegan restaurants to try it. They surely know how to entice you with their food and cater to your wildest dreams.

6. Taiwan

In Taiwan, vegetarian food is often vegan by default. They rarely use dairy products in their food, and eggs are optional for which you will have to pay. Both CNN and PETA have declared Taiwan as one of the ‘Vegan-Friendly Countries’ in the world. Taipei, the capital of Taiwan, has one of the fastest-growing vegan restaurants in the World.

Taiwan is known for having a strict food labelling process, and the government promotes its citizens to have a ‘meat-free day’ once a week. Also, more than 1/3rd of the people living here are Buddhist, which promotes a vegetarian diet. Travelling sustainably and finding vegan/vegetarian food should not be an issue. It is said to be soon staged as a vegetarian heaven.

7. Indonesia

If you have ever researched about a vegan-friendly place, you would have found Indonesia on that list. The fresh, healthy and tasty vegan food you can find here provides you with a unique experience. Bali, the most touristic location in Indonesia, is the best place to enjoy vegan-friendly cuisine.

There are over 450 vegans/vegetarian restaurants in Bali itself that makes sure that you will never go hungry at any time. It would not be wrong to say that Bali is the best place for vegans in South East Asia. Other cities in Indonesia like Lombok, Gili Trawangan and Jakarta City also have many vegan-friendly dining options.

8. Australia

Australia is known to have one of the largest vegan communities worldwide. Meat-consumption started to decline in Australia due to climate change and its severe impact on the country. For two years, it was the most popular country for veganism in the world. They are still the highest meat consumption country in the world and would take time to change things, but as a tourist, travelling sustainably is possible.

Vegetarian food is popular in Australia as compared to vegan food because replacing food staples like dairy and eggs from the diet is difficult for them. Many of the restaurants and fast-food chains have started launching new plant-based menus. It not only allows the food industry to capitalize but also allows them to produce vegetarian food as a replacement for animal products.

9. Malaysia

Malaysia is yet another Southeast Asian country on this list. It is widely famous for vegan tourists because it provides a mix of Indian, Chinese, and traditional Malay influences. You can also find tempting vegan and vegetarian food in the food stalls located on the streets.

Specifically in Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur is known to satisfy the taste bud of people coming from any part of the World. You can never go wrong if you travel to Kuala Lumpur and want to continue your vegan diet.

10. Canada

A major change in the lifestyle of people and an increase in the number of vegans in Canada is because of the government agency Health Canada. They made plant-based foods a priority over meat, seafood, and dairy, giving the vegan trend a serious boot. A survey conducted in 2018 reports that 2.3% of the Canadian population are vegan. Not only they eat plant-based food, but they also embrace it in the form of fashion and cosmetics.

You would also find diverse food in Canada. Be it Indian, French, Italian, or any other favourite cuisine for yours, you can find all of them here. Most of these will have option pf vegan/vegetarian foods on their menu. It might not be as easy to follow a vegan diet in Canada (lack of choices), especially if you go to rural places, but it is not impossible.

Next time when you think about sustainable travel, you can also think of going vegan or vegetarian. Small steps towards making the world a better place to live can make you go a big way. Curated here just a few countries that will make your wish of sustainable travel true. We are pretty sure that there are many other countries that you might feel are perfect to travel to for vegan/vegetarians. Feel free to write about them in the comment below and let others know.

Sustainable Eating: 10 Best Countries for Veg-Friendly Travel