CHIANG MAI, THAILAND
Out of all the cities in Thailand, Chiang Mai is
inarguably the most vegan-friendly city, hands down.
With a plethora of vegan, organic and even raw
restaurants to choose from, you’ll be spoilt for choice
when it comes to dining options. Located in Northern
Thailand and in close proximity to the Burmese,
Chinese, and Laos borders, Chiang Mai’s unique
culinary specialities are infused with the infl uence
of the surrounding cultures. This mellow city boosts
dozens of outdoor markets, hoards of healthy street
food stalls, and a growing number of trendy coff ee
shops. One quick stroll through the lantern lit streets
of this charming town and you’ll quickly realise why
Chiang Mai is the ultimate vegan vacation spot just
waiting to be explored by peace-seeking travellers.HO CHI MINH CITY, VIETNAM
Vietnam. The word itself invokes imagery of palm-leaf
conical hats, monks in orange frocks collecting alms,
and a river of motorbikes streaming through narrow
streets with horns blaring. Ho Chi Minh City may no
longer be the capital of Vietnam, but this splendid city
certainly never lost it’s charm! From it’s jaw-dropping
French colonial architecture to its surprisingly
complex cuisine, Ho Chi Minh City off ers a little bit
of everything for both the history seeker and vegan
foodie enthusiast. Recently recognised by PETA as one
of Asia’s top ten most vegan-friendly cities, Ho Chi
Minh City is fast becoming one of the most beloved
travel destinations for 2017.
Ho Chi Minh City, which is still referred to by
the locals as Saigon, off ers vegans respite. With a
large population practicing Buddhism, Saigon is
fi lled with an extensive amount of vegan-friendly
restaurants. From hand-made spring rolls fi lled with
fresh Vietnamese herbs and tofu to colossal steaming
hot pots fi lled with an unprecedented amount of
mushrooms and local greens, the cities exciting
culinary fl avours are a force to be reckoned with.Food4Thought
Restaurant This upscale
patio cafe serves up
the most incredible
vegan wraps and
salads in a comfortable
garden setting.
Big proponents of the
‘ugly food movement,’
Food4Thought is
spearheading the
movement by using
local organic produce
that have superfi cial
blemishes and
transforming them into
gorgeous dishes. Make
sure to try out their
Burmese green tea leaf
salad wrap with fried tofu
as well as their gluten-
free vegan brownies.
Anchan Organic
Revered for having the
tastiest vegan curries
in all of Chiang Mai,
this family-run organic
restaurant serves up
mouth-watering dishes
utilising only vegetables.
From hand-picked
mushroom salads
to vegan smoothies
made with exotic fruits,
Anchan’s vegan options
will delight even the
most skeptical carnivore.
Try out their pumpkin
or massaman curries
for an authentic North
Thailand experience.Pun Pun Organic
Situated on the grounds
of a 400-year-old temple
and surrounded by ancient
golden stupas, Pun Pun
Organic Restaurant is
one of the most uniquerestaurants you will ever
visit. This all vegetarian
restaurant specialises
in creating authentic,
Northeastern Thai cuisine
minus the meat. They offer
plenty of vegan options
which include Penang
curry, pad see ew, green
papaya salad, and their
famous Thai-herb veggie
sausages. No matter what
you order, you’ll probably
want to lick your plate
clean—it’s that good!WHERE TO EAT
*oXrPet 3DssSort
Clockwise: Chiang Mai’s Tha Pae Gate market,
among many others, serves a tonne of freshly
made dishes (raw and cooked) that are delicious
and local—like this white radish and carrot salad.CLOCKWISE: JTB PHOTO/CONTRIBUTOR/GETTYIMAGES; PHOTOCUISINE RM/ALAMY; OSCAR ELIAS/ALAMY