First Time in Bali? A Vegan Traveler's Practical Guide

Written by Michelle Gee, Marketing Executive, Plant Theory · September 27, 2026 · 6 min read

What should first time vegan visitors to Bali know?

That it's genuinely easier than most people expect. A lot of vegans arrive worried they'll be stuck ordering fries, hummus or a plain salad everywhere, but that's not the reality in Canggu. Most cafes and restaurants have solid vegan options, and if they don't, they'll almost always have vegetarian dishes staff are happy to veganize on request.

Where to stay if you want easy vegan food

Canggu, Ubud and Seminyak have the highest concentration of dedicated vegan cafes, restaurants and delivery only kitchens. Staying in or near one of these areas makes day to day eating simple, other parts of the island take a little more planning.

Ordering as a vegan at cafes and restaurants

Most staff working at Canggu's cafes and restaurants speak fluent English and understand exactly what vegan means, so ordering is rarely stressful. If you're strict about it, it's worth specifically asking whether the kitchen uses the same oil or pan for meat, and confirming there's no dairy, egg or honey in a dish, since eggs show up in a lot of Indonesian cooking. Staff are generally accommodating about swapping things out.

Eating at local warungs

Warungs are simple too. Indonesian food leans heavily on tempeh, tofu, rice and vegetables, so you can usually order the same dishes a non vegan would and just leave off the meat. If you're being strict, ask whether fish sauce or oyster sauce has been used, since both show up in some Indonesian sauces and dishes. Most Balinese staff in and around Canggu speak enough English that you can just say "vegan" and be understood, or pull up Google Translate and show your dietary needs. If you do end up somewhere with no English at all, the phrase to know is "tanpa daging", which means without meat.

Delivery apps you'll want on your phone

Download Gojek and GrabFood before you land, both support vegan and vegetarian filtering and cover most tourist and expat areas. Having both installed on day one saves you from hunting for wifi at a restaurant later.

A note from Plant Theory

We're based in Canggu and built entirely around delivery, if your trip brings you through the area, check our menu or search "Plant Theory" on Gojek or GrabFood.

Our take

Don't overplan this part of the trip. Bali's vegan food scene is strong enough now that you can mostly figure it out as you go, these basics just save you the first few days of guesswork.