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Original poster

SE Asia as a vegetarian, nightmare or doable?

19 replies

Izlet · 26/05/2015 18:49

I want to take the DC on a tour of SE Asia (Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, etc.) as our one big holiday before before they hit the teenage indifference stage. However 3 of us are vegetarians and I remember from my travels in the 90s that meat free was somewhat a challenge between the ubiquitous fish sauce everywhere pork central in Vietnam. Have things moved on since then are we going to starve for 3 weeks?

OP posts:

Pixa · 26/05/2015 18:52

Doable! My DH is a vegetarian (who doesn't like most root veg) and he survived when we went to Southeast Asia for three and a half weeks.

weasle · 26/05/2015 18:58

I went to Vietnam and Cambodia 10 years ago as a veggie and LOVED the food. Fantastic choice. Somebody high end places and also some very basic Buddhist cafe etc. Have a great time!

Original poster

Izlet · 26/05/2015 19:02

Really? What a relief! Did you need to go to "proper" restaurants in tourist places or could you also do (slightly) off the beaten track?

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Original poster

Izlet · 26/05/2015 19:03

Cross post. That's me reassured then! I shall go ahead and book!

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Original poster

Izlet · 26/05/2015 19:04

Thanks all!

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neolara · 26/05/2015 19:05

I travelled as a vegetarian (no fish) in SE Asia for 6 months 25 years ago and it was fine. I did, however, eat an awful lot of omelette and rice.

travellinglighter · 26/05/2015 19:05

Veggie is no problem as long as you let them know.

oricella · 26/05/2015 19:07

Great choice if you are prepared to ignore fish based hidden ingredients - it's not just the fish sauce, but most curry pastes will have shrimp paste in it for example.

In Thailand there are lots of true vegetarian restaurants, mostly vegan actually, but they'll be off the beaten track and rarely advertised to tourists. With a bet of effort it's definitely possible though - maybe go in October during the veggie festival when there'll be pop-up veggie restaurants everywhere.

Original poster

Izlet · 26/05/2015 19:08

Yes, I got a lot of egg too last time, I got soooo bored of omelette I didn't touch eggs for over 10 years. Mind you, that could have been France...

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Original poster

Izlet · 26/05/2015 19:11

I was planning next April, but now you mention the October Veggie Fest I might need to review my plans. Hmmmm. Is there a good website or blog that lists the off the beaten track vegan restaurants?

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oricella · 26/05/2015 19:19

The veggie restaurants I knew wouldn't pop up on blogs - very much local affairs, but maybe that has changed by now. And maybe I shouldn't say this, but many thai omelettes are made with fish sauce, lime and sugar in the mix. Fried eggs are your safest bet.

PausingFlatly · 26/05/2015 19:32

Anywhere that's used to Buddhists will be vegan heaven! We found it much much easier getting a decent, reliably vegetarian meal in SE Asia than in Europe.

Maybe ask locally for Buddhist restaurants.

PausingFlatly · 26/05/2015 19:34

Sorry, I mean use the word Buddhist rather than veggie when asking.

Cecyhall · 26/05/2015 19:35

The blogger veganinbrighton has just been to SE Asia, she will be going back as she is indefinitely travelling but I think she's popped over to USA at the mo but there is loads of info on where she's been so far

LonnyVonnyWilsonFrickett · 26/05/2015 19:36

If you can shut your eyes to shrimp paste and fish sauce then you'll be fine. They are basically used as salt in the areas you mention and are in everything. Agree with oricella, even an omelette is going to have fish sauce in there.

I am a bad veggie and just sucked it up - didn't eat any meat, always enquired if the food was veggie, but didn't try to deconstruct the seasonings....

Cecyhall · 26/05/2015 19:36

And HappyCow website lists veggie restaurants and shops all over the world

oricella · 26/05/2015 19:42

My first Bhuddist act when staying with a Thai family to learn the language was offering sausages to the monks Some of my colleagues would only eat vegan on certain days of the lunar month. Thai buddhism has a very flexible approach to vegetarianism ime.

TheSpottedZebra · 26/05/2015 19:54

Learn the Thai / Vietnamese /Khmer for vegetarian*, including no fish products please? And have it written down too. It's doable, I did it about a decade ago when travelling alone. It's possible that I did eat a tiny bit of fish or shrimp somewhere along the line I guess. Also have a think about where you draw I your line - eg would you eat pad thai from a street side grill that had us been used to cook a meaty or fishy one?

You'd need to look that up, obvs. IIRC it doesn't translate directly as tthe most common reason for not eating meat in Thailand -so religion - has different rules, which can be interpreted in different ways, etc etc.

queenofthepirates · 26/05/2015 20:25

Anywhere that's used to Buddhists will be vegan heaven!

The only exception to that one is Japan, bit of a pain for veggies. It's not unconquerable but a challenge. Just telling them you're a vegetarian doesn't cut it either.

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