Visiting foodies in search of gratification are spoiled for choice in Asia.
From dim sum in Hong Kong and pho in Vietnam to sashimi in Japan or tom yum goong in Thailand, there is no shortage of taste-bud tingling experiences to write postcards home about.
But what about vegan and vegetarian visitors? Can a region best known for its meat-based offerings cater to those living on a purely plant-based diet?
Increasingly, yes.
9% of the Asia-Pacific population identified as vegan in 2016, which means abstaining from consuming food, wearing clothes and using products that come from animals, according to online statistics portal Statista.
The region has the largest share of plant-based consumers globally, perhaps influenced by Dharmic religions' vegetarian practices and Buddhist cuisine, although these do not dictate veganism.
(Dharmic refers to the family of religions that encompasses Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism and Jainism).
However, veganism is not limited to faith-based food choices.
China is a nation known for Peking duck and pork dumplings, and where an expanding middle class has led to a significant increase in meat consumption. It is also expected to have been the fastest-growing market for vegan-labeled food products between 2015 and 2020, with a growth rate of 17.2%, according to Statista.
The rise in a plant-based approach to consumption can be credited to "affluent millennials," according to Hong Kong-based branding and marketing agency CatchOn's annual Future of Food report.
"(Millenials are) acutely aware of food ethics, sustainability issues and plant-based alternatives, the purchasing power of this demographic is changing the way food is produced and putting pressure on brands to create vegan products," the report notes.
Millennials travel more than other generations, according to various reports, spending more while they are at it, so the fact that their consumption habits have made an impact should come as little surprise.
Heck, even Japan, which in this writer's experience is one of the most difficult Asian destinations to visit as a vegan, is acknowledging the trend and vowing to add more options to the menu.
In August, online vegan news portal LiveKindly reported that the northernmost Japanese prefecture Hokkaido was "hoping to use vegan food to attract tourists."
Local authorities planned to conduct studies exploring the vegetarian options currently available, according to the article. Those offering plant-based options would be listed online to encourage others to do the same.
The idea was that it might attract more arrivals from the United States and Europe, who have increasingly asked for meat-free meals. But a quick search of "vegetarian" in the food section of Hokkaido's official tourism website brings up the disappointing message: "no corresponding data."
So, if Hokkaido isn't yet making it easy, which destinations are?
Tour companies, activist groups and vegan bloggers regularly compile lists and some of the destinations that consistently appear at the top include Singapore, Taipei and Sri Lanka. A lot of vegetarian dishes in these places are vegan and most curries are cooked with coconut milk rather than ghee.
As outright winner, it appears to be a toss-up between Chiang Mai, in Thailand, and Ubud, Indonesia, which even has a "vegan cinema," the Paradiso, which screens films and hosts cultural events along with "the most delicious, organic plant-based food and cold-pressed juices and smoothies for the ultimate cruelty-free dining experience."
Wherever travel takes you, however, it is important to remember that veganism is a choice often only the privileged can make.
Yes, eschewing meat and animal products does wonders for the world " according to a 2016 report in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, if the global population turned vegan, the world's food-related emissions would drop by 70% by 2025 " but when exploring pastures new (another luxury of the privileged), it can perhaps be an impediment to making genuine cultural connections.
And before expounding on the environmental and ethical benefits of a plant-based lifestyle to any locals you might encounter, consider the carbon footprint you incurred on your flight to reach their homeland.
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