Venus Williams: Vegan Diet Changed Her Life

From wildbeimwild.com

Tennis star Venus Williams says the vegan diet has changed her life. For a decade, she has benefited from better skin and improved health 

Venus Williams has followed a plant-based diet for a decade, and she says it has improved her tennis performance, her skin, and her overall health.

After being diagnosed with the autoimmune disease Sjögren's syndrome in 2011 — which causes joint pain and fatigue — Williams' future in tennis looked uncertain. Switching to a vegan diet, however, proved to be a decisive turning point.

The plant-based lifestyle not only allows Williams to manage her illness without medication, but it has also improved her complexion, something backed up by research.

«The plant-based lifestyle has definitely changed my life — my skin has become fantastic«, Williams told insider.com. And she is not the only one who has found that cutting out dairy products and eating more fruit and vegetables improves one's complexion.

The diet was so effective that Williams threw herself into this lifestyle, founding her own vegan business and investing in others. Now, Williams says, other athletes ask her for advice on how to give up meat without compromising their athletic performance.

Serena Williams suggested Venus try a «raw vegan» lifestyle

Williams' diagnosis was the initial motivation to change her diet, and it was her sister Serena who suggested she eat raw vegan — meaning only raw, plant-based foods — which she did before transitioning to a more relaxed plant-based approach.

«Living with an autoimmune disease can be a little challenging, and you can end up taking a lot of medication, and that's not something I want», she said. «So it is a godsend that through my diet I can control as much as possible — what happens in my body, my inflammation levels.

Today she is a passionate advocate of a plant-based diet that can support the active lifestyle of a professional athlete, and in 2020 she founded her own vegan protein brand, Happy Viking.

«I need to quickly supply my muscles with protein after training in order to recover and maintain muscle mass«, she said. «Happy Viking was therefore created to fuel the inner fighter, the inner Viking, while feeling happy and content with what you put into your body.«

Williams is taking her commitment to veganism even further by investing in PlantX, a plant-based food store vying to become the go-to destination for all vegan needs in the US — or, as Williams puts it: «the vegan Amazon«.

Being a plant-based athlete can be challenging when travelling the world for competitions, Williams said, so much so that other athletes ask her for tips.

Her advice? It’s all about balance.

While a vegan diet can largely consist of whole foods, fruits, and vegetables, there is also plenty of vegan “junk food”, from Oreos to Doritos.

Consuming large amounts of heavily processed vegan foods is unlikely to produce the positive effects on the skin that Williams has experienced.

«If you eat vegan and mainly consume simple carbohydrates, I think the benefits of a vegan diet become fewer. Eating pasta with sweetened tomato sauce all day, without other beneficial vegan ingredients, won’t help much«, said dermatologist Papri Sarkar.

However, most health and fitness experts advocate a balanced diet with everything in moderation, as cutting out all your favorite foods is not sustainable for most people.

The «80/20 rule«, advocated by Denise Austin among others, states that you eat nutrient-dense foods 80% of the time and enjoy less nutritious things like junk food the remaining 20% of the time.

«I’ve never seen a french fry that wasn’t vegan«, said Williams. «I am definitely not a robot. You can reward yourself and also have fun with food. There are so many athletes who do that, and sometimes they ask me how to do it. Then I tell them: Hey, sometimes you just have to eat a piece of cake«.

Williams describes herself as »Junk-Food Junkie». In the past she loved donuts, today she is obsessed with cake, especially apple pie. However, she does not bake her own, because she would eat it constantly, she says.

https://wildbeimwild.com/en/venus-williams-says-switching-to-a-vegan-diet-changed-her-skin-and-health/

The Best Bacon, Egg And Cheese Is In Brooklyn. It’s Vegan.

From forbes.com

Eggs. Bacon. American cheese. Two pieces of soft, toasted, buttery bread. Maybe a dash of hot sauce, not too much, just enough to give it a little zip while still tasting that wonderfully melted cheese.

​There is no better way to start the day than with the perfect bacon, egg and cheese (BEC), and no breakfast more synonymous with life in New York City. It’s the reliable grab-and-go sunrise feast found at every corner bodega, the routine morning repast of the 9-5 subway straphanger and a key ingredient of any tried and true hangover cure.

​The sandwich’s history is ambiguous. Its ties to Industrial Revolution London street vendors, 19th-century Chinese rail workers and Basque immigrants who worked as miners and shepherds in the Nevada Territory make its heritage as diverse as the country that birthed it and as cosmopolitan as the city that made it an iconic, daily ritual.

Every person has their favourite spot to order one, and many restaurants, delis, bakeries and coffee shops throughout Manhattan have been touted as making some of the best.

So, when Romeo Regalli, chef and co-owner of RAS Plant Based, a popular Ethiopian-inspired restaurant in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, decided to add his own plant-based interpretation to the table, he did so with that heritage firmly in mind.

“When you’re working with such a classic dish, that people know so well, you have to be very careful,” Regalli says in a phone interview.

​“My goal was to make something that wasn’t gimmicky, that respected the classic aspects of a bacon, egg and cheese.”

And the work behind any good sandwich starts with bread.

                                                   The best bacon, egg and cheese in NYC.    Photo Courtesy of RAS Plant Based

Bread and Butter

The bread used for a BEC can be anything from the standard sandwich roll found at most bodegas to the browned pretzel roll or fluffy brioche bun often preferred by restaurants and coffee shops.

​Picking bread is a seemingly simple decision that shapes the entire first-bite experience of any sandwich. If it’s too dry, too flimsy, too soft or too crisp, bread can ruin texture, scrape the inside of someone’s mouth or just turn into a soggy mess on the plate or in someone’s lap. If it’s too dense, it will affect the important bread-to-filling ratio, and if it has too much flavour on its own, it will overpower the other ingredients entirely.

At RAS, Regalli keeps things simple, choosing a traditional whole-wheat bread that is then brushed with a house-made vegan take on Niter Kibbeh, a traditional Ethiopian clarified butter mixed with cardamom and an herb called koseret. Lightly toasted, the bread is perfectly crunchy and warm, with a rich, buttery aroma and flavour reminiscent of a favourite neighbourhood diner.

​The koseret, with its minty, herbal taste and hints of sweet basil and oregano, adds a layer of savoury sweetness to every bite. Regalli then adds a spread of rich, creamy plant-based aioli, mixed with berebere, a fiery, Ethiopian spice blend featuring chili peppers, garlic, ginger, basil, and a myriad of other spices, for a subtle yet delightful pop of relishing heat.

​It is an exceptional and delectable union, then scaffolded by the crisp, chewy, and wholly comforting texture and flavour of bacon.

Bacon Me Crazy

​Good plant-based bacon has long been considered an oxymoron within the diet. Too often, when chefs and restaurants attempt to replicate the pork protein, they fail to capture that specific, complex, and crispy texture of rendered animal fat, resulting in replicas that are either soggy, rubbery or overly dry, and also taste inauthentic or even chemical. Thus, most plant-based bacon alternatives fail to meet the standards that bacon lovers, i.e., most people, have come to expect.

​Regalli’s bacon exceeds those expectations. Built on a plant-based protein prepared and seasoned in-house, he uses a measured ratio of liquid smoke, berbere for warmth and depth and korerima (Ethiopian cardamom) for a more aromatic, slightly floral note. The plant-based bacon excellently balances smokiness with savouriness, while delivering a texture that is a perfectly rendered crispy-chewy combo.

​“We spent a lot of time refining how the bacon cooks, so that it has that balance people expect: a bit of crisp on the edges, some chew in the centre, and enough richness to carry through the whole sandwich,” says Regalli.

​The end product is nearly indistinguishable from the real thing. Ordering an additional side is almost mandatory. Meanwhile, Regalli’s pursuit of near-perfect mimicry through painstaking manipulation of flavour is further expressed in the eggs.

As Sure As Eggs Is Eggs

​Made from pureed and seasoned mung beans, a protein-rich legume that condenses and stiffens when cooked, these plant-based eggs look strikingly similar to their real counterparts thanks to the generous use of turmeric, which gives them a natural and pleasantly golden colour. And although many BECs often come with their eggs scrambled, Regalli wanted to provide his guests with a tidy, less messy dining experience and instead chose a delicately folded omelette for his sandwich.

​The plant-based omelette is firm and fluffy, providing a pillow for the delicious, crispy bacon, which is blanketed with a silky, rich, melted plant-based American-style cheese, made from potato protein, and finally topped with thin wedges of tender avocado and bright, fresh arugula and served with a side of house-spiced fries.

The flavours are vibrant, complex, bright, subtly sweet, gently smoky and warm, and they all work together. Regalli has created not only a uniquely delicious breakfast sandwich but also one of the city’s best, and captured the familiar, craveable experience of a New York staple—without meat, eggs, or dairy.

​“New York runs on bacon, egg and cheese,” Regalli says.

​“I wanted to deliver the same simple satisfaction and nostalgia of that sandwich, while using plant-based ingredients and Ethiopian flavours to make it RAS.”

https://www.forbes.com/sites/isidororodriguez/2026/04/21/the-best-bacon-egg-and-cheese-is-in-brooklyn-and-its-vegan/ 

UK’s Gosh Doubles Down on ‘Plant Points’ Movement with Fibre-Packed Whole-Food Sausages

From greenqueen.com.hk

By Anay Mridul

British plant-based food brand Gosh has unveiled a range of Super Plants Sausages, which are made from whole foods, rich in fibre, and high in ‘plant points’.

Brits want minimally processed, fibre-rich, whole-food products that can help meet their ’30 plants a week’ goal – and Gosh’s latest product aims to deliver on all those fronts.

The UK brand has launched a range of vegan sausages that don’t intend to mimic meat, but instead champion vegetables, legumes, and seeds, aligning with the veg-led buzz in the country’s plant-based food market.

Developed in collaboration with a nutritionist, the Super Plants Sausages come in two flavours – parsnip, leek and pea with linseeds, and mushroom and wild garlic with chia seeds – and are marketed as containing “all-natural, nutrient-dense ingredients”.

“Consumers today are driven by more than just taste, they’re looking for food that delivers real value to their health and wellbeing,” said Gosh marketing director Caroline Hughes.

“With our new Super Plants Sausages, we’re leading with this health-first mindset, creating a product that helps people feel their best without compromising on flavour.”

Gosh builds on ‘plant points’ approach with veg-led sausages

                                                                                                         Courtesy: Gosh

The new sausages are made from a blend of vegetables, pulses, seeds, and herbs, and reflect the UK’s shift towards whole-food formats, according to Gosh.

Nielsen analysis shows that chilled plant-based food volume demand rose by just under 1% across UK supermarkets in 2025, rising to 1.7% in the final quarter of the year. Tesco, the country’s largest retailer, ascribed the revival of this market to the heightening demand for “veg-led foods” rich in protein and fibre.

“A growing micro-trend focused on whole-food plant proteins – including beans, lentils, chickpeas, tofu and whole grains – is helping to drive renewed sales, signalling a shift from short-term trend to lasting dietary change,” explained Bethan Jones, plant-based food buyer at Tesco.

Gosh itself saw Moroccan Falafel sales grow by 6% last year. Its new meat-free sausages build on this philosophy. They contain 7.8g of fibre and 8.4g of protein per 100g, and pack 15-17 different plants, and will roll out at Tesco this week.

It was one of the first UK brands to adopt the ’30 plants a week’ movement popularised by health experts like Tim Spector, co-founder of personalised nutrition app Zoe, labelling each of its products with ‘plant points’ since last year.

“By celebrating plant diversity and championing a natural, veg-led approach, we’ve developed something that goes beyond the typical plant-based sausage,” said Hughes.

To create the veg-led sausages, Gosh teamed up with registered nutritionist Becca Meadows, who called the products “naturally rich in nutrients, helping consumers boost their fibre intake with ingredients that support overall health”.

Working with a nutritionist has helped build meaningful benefits into the sausages, which are “high in fibre and protein, minimally processed, and designed to support both physical and emotional wellbeing”, Hughes said.

Playing into the demand for fibre, protein and non-UPF products

                                                                                                                        Courtesy: Tesco

Over two in five (43%) Brits increased their protein intake between 2024 and 2025. And this year, 14% are looking to add more protein to their diets, while 13% want to eat more fibre.

The rise of GLP-1 drugs has contributed to this boom – more than 1.5 million Brits now use a weight-loss medication, a share that nearly doubled between 2024 and 2025.

Users of drugs like Ozempic experience a 25-40% decrease in muscle mass over 8-16 months (several times greater than non-medicated weight-loss approaches and age-related muscle loss), making protein an important dietary tool.

Plus, dietary fibre can help trigger the body’s natural GLP-1 response and improve gut health. And 96% of Brits don’t eat enough fibre. This is why it has been the focus of nutrition apps like Zoe, documentaries such as Netflix’s Hack Your Health, and the 30-plants-a-week movement, which has spawned online movements like fibremaxxing and fibrelayering.

The launch aims to tackle one of the UK’s top food concerns: ultra-processed foods (UPFs). Government polling shows that up to 78% of Brits are worried about UPFs (behind only inflation), and as much as 75% are concerned about the general healthiness of diets.

Backlash against these products has also impacted the sales of meat alternatives, which are perceived as overly processed and containing too many ingredients, even as experts suggest that not all UPFs are bad for health. Two recent studies have shown that swapping processed meat with plant-based alternatives can boost fibre intake and lower saturated fat and salt consumption, all key markers for good health.

But Gosh’s decision to stick to whole foods aligns with similar moves from other plant-based brands in the UK. This launched the This is Super Superfood line and a chickpea tofu range with Omami; Oh So Wholesome rolled out Veg’chop; Juicy Marbles came out with a veg-forward Umami Burger; and Symplicity Foods debuted its fermented-vegetable-based meat alternatives at Waitrose.

https://www.greenqueen.com.hk/gosh-super-plants-sausages-whole-food-vegan-fibre-points/

Vegan Trademark Standards

From vegansociety.com

The Vegan Trademark is the authentic international vegan standard that was created by The Vegan Society; the charity that coined the term 'vegan' back in 1944. Our dedicated and experienced vegan team check each product application against the below criteria, working with manufacturers and suppliers across a range of fields to ensure that each product meets the highest vegan standards. The Vegan Trademark is renewed on a yearly basis to ensure we have the most up to date information on all the products we certify. 

Animals

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The Vegan Society understands the word 'animal' to refer to the entire animal kingdom. That is all vertebrates and all multicellular invertebrates. 'Animal' can refer to a species or an individual; and is used as a noun or an adjective, as required. Unless otherwise stated, it usually means non-human animals.

Animal ingredients

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The manufacture and/or development of the product, and its ingredients, must not involve or have involved, the use of any animal product, by-product or derivative.

Animal testing

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The development and/or manufacture of the product, and its ingredients, must not involve or have involved, testing of any sort on animals conducted at the initiative of the company or on its behalf, or by parties over whom the company has effective control. 

Cross-contamination

The Vegan Trademark standards require brands to minimise cross-contamination as far as is reasonably practicable and possible. Brands should be able to confirm that their company strives diligently to minimise cross contamination from animal* substances used in other (non-vegan) products.

Restaurants and Catering Establishments: As a minimum, surfaces and utensils must be thoroughly cleaned down prior to being used for preparing, cooking and serving vegan products. Brands must be aware of the risk of cross-contamination from non-vegan sources in the storage and production areas and take all reasonable, practical steps to eliminate this. If producing non-vegan dishes, we strongly recommend preparing/cooking the vegan dishes first.

Manufacturing Facilities: Companies must be aware of the risk from ingredients of animal* origin (including derivatives) in the production area and take all reasonable, practical steps to eliminate this. Potential methods of cross-contamination prevention to consider include: sufficient segregation measures, effective hygiene and good management practices. As a minimum, production lines must be thoroughly cleaned down (and flushed, if necessary, with a vegan-suitable material) prior to being used for a vegan production line. If producing non-vegan lines at the same facilities, we strongly recommend running the vegan line first.

*The Vegan Society understands the word “animal” to refer to the entire Animal Kingdom, that is all vertebrates and multi-cellular invertebrates.”

https://www.vegansociety.com/trademark/vegan-trademark-standards

Going vegan isn't a sacrifice

From vegoutmag.com 

By Jordan Cooper

When the discomfort of eating against your values becomes harder to swallow than your grandmother's tears at Thanksgiving, you'll understand why 8 years later, I still don't miss cheese 

Picture yourself at a dinner party, explaining for the hundredth time why you're passing on the cheese plate. The host looks disappointed. Someone makes a protein joke. Another guest launches into a story about their cousin who "tried that" but got sick.

Now imagine a different scenario. You're sitting at that same table, but this time, reaching for the cheese feels like wearing a shirt that's three sizes too small. It just doesn't fit anymore.

That second feeling? That's not sacrifice. That's alignment.

The myth of the heroic sacrifice

We've built this narrative around veganism that it's about giving things up. About willpower. About denying yourself pleasure for some greater good.

But what if we've been looking at it backwards?

Eight years ago, I watched a documentary on a random Tuesday night. Nothing special about the evening. I'd ordered Thai food, opened my laptop, and clicked play. Two hours later, something had shifted. Not because I'd suddenly developed superhuman willpower, but because I couldn't unsee what I'd seen.

The discomfort of knowing was suddenly bigger than the discomfort of changing.

Think about other changes in your life. Did you leave a toxic job because you're heroically self-sacrificing? Or because staying finally became more painful than the uncertainty of leaving?

When your grandmother cries at Thanksgiving

Change isn't comfortable. Let me be clear about that.

My first Thanksgiving as a vegan, my grandmother actually cried. She'd made her famous stuffing, the recipe passed down through generations, and I was sitting there with my sad portion of green beans and cranberry sauce. "You're rejecting our family," she said through tears.

That moment? That was uncomfortable.

But here's what I've learned from behavioural psychology research: we don't change when change becomes easy. We change when NOT changing becomes harder than changing.

Before going vegan, every meal had become a small betrayal. I'd know where my food came from. I'd understand the systems I was supporting. And I'd eat it anyway, feeling that tiny twist in my stomach that wasn't about digestion.

The evangelist trap

Want to know something embarrassing? I spent three years being that vegan. The one who couldn't shut up about it. The one who'd turn every conversation into a lecture about factory farming.

You know what happened? Nothing. Well, worse than nothing. I pushed people away. Made veganism seem like this exclusive club for the morally superior. My friend Sarah stopped inviting me to restaurants. My partner (yes, the one who still orders pepperoni pizza with ranch) started eating more meat just to spite me. The more I preached, the more resistance I created. Then I stopped. Completely. Six months later, my friend Marcus went vegetarian. Not because of anything I'd said during my preaching years, but because I'd finally shut up long enough for him to reach his own tipping point. That was the lesson that finally landed: people don't change on someone else's timeline.

Living with contradictions

My partner of five years isn't vegan. Every Friday, the smell of pepperoni pizza fills our apartment. There's ranch dressing in our fridge. Actual cheese, not the cashew kind.

Does this make me a failed vegan? A hypocrite?

Or does it make me someone who understands that we all have different tipping points?

The psychology of change isn't about perfection. It's about finding what researchers call your "personal threshold" – that point where your current behaviour becomes more uncomfortable than the alternative.

For me, that threshold was crossed eight years ago. For my partner, maybe it never will be. And that's okay.

The comfort zone paradox

Here's what nobody tells you about comfort zones: staying in them eventually becomes uncomfortable too.

You ever notice how people describe their pre-vegan days? "I always felt weird about eating meat, but..." or "I knew something was off, but..."

That "but" is doing a lot of heavy lifting. It's carrying all the social pressure, the convenience, the habit, the fear of being different.

Going vegan isn't about suddenly becoming strong enough to overcome all that. It's about reaching a point where carrying that "but" becomes heavier than just putting it down.

Think about it like this: You don't leave a bad relationship when you become brave. You leave when staying requires more courage than leaving.

Why willpower is overrated

The whole "veganism requires such willpower" thing? It's mostly said by people who haven't hit their tipping point yet.

Once you cross that threshold, choosing plant-based options isn't about willpower any more than choosing not to wear clothes that don't fit is about willpower. It just feels wrong.

Sure, there's an adjustment period. You have to learn new recipes, find new restaurants, navigate social situations differently. But that's logistics, not sacrifice.

When people ask me if I miss cheese, they're asking the wrong question. It's like asking if I miss my old apartment with the broken heating and the upstairs neighbour who played drums at 3am. Do I have fond memories? Sure. Would I move back? Not a chance.

The social pressure myth

"But what about social situations?"

Look, I get it. Being the only vegan at the barbecue isn't always fun. But you know what else isn't fun? That feeling when you're eating something that conflicts with your values, surrounded by people who don't get why it bothers you.

One discomfort is temporary and external. The other follows you home.

Besides, social dynamics are changing. Five years ago, I had to explain what oat milk was. Now my local coffee shop has four different plant milk options and the barista doesn't even blink when I order one.

Finding your tipping point

Maybe you're reading this and thinking, "This all sounds great, but I'm not there yet."

That's perfectly valid. Maybe you never will be, and that's valid too.

But if you're feeling that tension, that slight discomfort every time you eat, ask yourself: which discomfort is growing and which is shrinking?

Because here's what I've observed: once you start noticing that misalignment between your values and your actions, it tends to grow. Not because someone's preaching at you, but because awareness has a way of expanding.

You can try to unsee what you've seen, unfeel what you've felt, but it's like trying to forget the ending of a movie. Once you know, you know.

Wrapping up

Going vegan isn't about becoming a different person. It's about stopping the exhausting work of being someone you're not.

It's not about sacrifice. It's about that moment when maintaining the status quo requires more effort than changing it.

For me, that moment came eight years ago, watching a documentary on an ordinary Tuesday. For Marcus, it came six months after I stopped talking about it. For you? Only you can know.

But if you're feeling that discomfort, that growing awareness that your actions and values aren't aligned, pay attention to it. Not because you should go vegan, but because that discomfort is telling you something important about who you're becoming.

The question isn't whether you're strong enough to change. It's whether you're tired enough of not changing.

And when that scale tips? Well, that's when you realize it was never about sacrifice at all.

https://vegoutmag.com/lifestyle/g-going-vegan-isnt-a-sacrifice-its-what-happens-when-the-discomfort-of-acting-against-your-values-finally-outweighs-the-discomfort-of-changing/

Luxury vegan travel: sustainable destinations, hotels + brands (Earth Day 2026 guide)

From vegansbaby.com

By Diana Edelman

From Michelin-starred plant-based tasting menus to ethical safaris in Rwanda, this is what luxury vegan travel looks like in 2026 

When I started Vegans, Baby, the phrase “luxury vegan travel” would have felt like an oxymoron. Back then, I stayed in hotels where the only options were fries, a side of veggies or salad. My how times have changed. Thankfully. Today, I get requests from vegan travellers who want five-star resorts, Michelin-starred restaurants and experiences like ethical safaris. 

And, I’m not the only one.

According to Market Intelo, the “Global Vegan Travel market size was valued at $1.8 billion in 2024, and is forecasted to hit $7.6 billion by 2033.” The reason? Consumer preferences are shifting toward ethical, sustainable, and plant-based lifestyles and influencing travel decisions across the world. 

TL;DR: It’s changing the way people travel. From ethical safaris like the ones I have taken people on, to eco-hotels, to tasting menus where ingredients are plucked from the restaurant’s garden, luxury travel is evolving into one that is more conscious and kind. 

This Earth Day, the question isn’t whether you can travel sustainably and luxuriously. The question is how to do it well, without giving up the food, the experience, or your values.

What defines luxury vegan travel

Luxury vegan travel goes way beyond a nice hotel with a tofu scramble on the breakfast buffet. At its best, it looks like:

• Fully plant-based or seriously plant-forward dining, done at a level that rivals anything you’d find in an omnivore fine-dining room
• Cruelty-free materials throughout the property, from the bedding to the toiletries to the furniture property-wide
• Sustainability built into how the place operates, like composting, water limits and more
• A real commitment to the local community, including fair wages, local hiring, local sourcing, and locally-made products in the rooms

Think oceanfront villas running on renewable energy. Tasting menus built from whatever’s growing that week. Safari lodges designed so carefully around the land that the local flora and fauna are part of the experience, and protected. Some of the best vegan hotels in the world fall into this, thankfully.

That’s the bar now, and it’s about time.

The luxury hotels raising the sustainability bar

More and more high-end hotels are proving that sustainability and world-class hospitality can live on the same property. In my itinerary planning, I always aim to connect travellers with these properties.

Six Senses

                                                                                                            PHOTO: Six Senses

One of my most favourite hotel groups, Six Senses runs one of the most thoughtful sustainability programs of any luxury group I’ve come across. It focuses on reducing carbon emissions, eliminating plastic, conserving water, and supporting biodiversity. Its strategy includes regenerative practices like on-site organic gardens, waste reduction systems, and expanding plant-based dining across its properties. Beyond environmental efforts, Six Senses invests in local communities through conservation funding, education, and guest programs and aims to create a positive impact with every stay.

Soneva

                                                                                                                  PHOTO: Soneva

The magnificent Soneva properties in the Maldives and Thailand ushered in a new type of luxury — barefoot. Operating with the philosophy of “No shoes, no news”, the resorts emphasize plant-based dining, complete with harvesting from their own gardens or source locally. They also use solar energy, operate the “waste to wealth” practice, and work in partnership with local communities.

The magnificent Soneva properties in the Maldives and Thailand ushered in a new type of luxury — barefoot. Operating with the philosophy of “No shoes, no news”, the resorts emphasize plant-based dining, complete with harvesting from their own gardens or source locally. They also use solar energy, operate the “waste to wealth” practice, and work in partnership with local communities.

Singita 

Considered to be the gold standard for conservation-driven safari in Africa. Singita operates 19 lodges and camps, blending high-end ethical safari experiences with a strong commitment to conservation, sustainability, and community empowerment. Their three core pillars are biodiversity, sustainability, and community. Singita invests in long-term environmental protection and local development. The company helps protect more than 1 million acres of wilderness through partnerships with conservation organizations, safeguarding critical ecosystems and wildlife. Its people-driven approach ensures guests experience not only luxury, but also meaningful cultural connection and a deeper understanding of conservation efforts across the African continent.

1 Hotels 

                                                                                          PHOTO: 1 Hotels Brooklyn Bridge

My urban pick for a brand focusing on sustainability, they focus on environment, people, and prosperity. 1 Hotels integrate eco-conscious practices into every aspect of its design and operations. Plus, they prioritize green building certifications, reclaimed and local materials, energy efficiency, and eliminating single-use plastics. In addition, it partners with organizations to reduce food waste, support communities, and fund environmental initiatives, while offering programs that allow guests to contribute to causes with each stay.

My point: the robe-and-slippers experience and your values can live in the same trip. You get both.

Vegan fine dining is having its moment

If you’re anything like me, food is the whole reason to travel. It used to be tough — like really tough — to find options unless you happened to be in a destination that was inherently vegan-friendly, like a lot of Asia. Today, vegan fine dining is in a different league and often you can experience vegan versions of local cuisine without missing a taste or texture.

Europe is definitely leading the way when it comes to vegan fine dining. First, there’s London’s Plates. It became the first fully vegan restaurant in the UK to earn a Michelin star in 2025, less than six months after opening. Over in Berlin, Bonvivant Cocktail Bistro went fully vegan in early 2026, and their brunch is now the first Michelin-starred vegan brunch in the world. They also hold a Michelin Green Star for sustainability. Then, there’s  De Nieuwe Winkel in the Netherlands, with two Michelin stars on an entirely plant-based menu, one of only a handful in the world. And, the list goes on.

Planning a trip around one of these is becoming the cornerstone of luxury vegan travel for a lot of my clients. And rightfully so. You’d fly to Copenhagen for Noma, so why not fly to Berlin for Bonvivant?

How to travel sustainably without the FOMO

Sustainable travel doesn’t mean scaling back. But, it does mean being a lot more intentional about how you plan. The first time I went to Europe backpacking solo, I crammed as much as I could into my month of travels. Every other day, I’d be on a train to the next place. Sometimes, it was even a plane. But, there are better and more sustainable ways to travel that are more than checking destinations off a map in the least amount of time. (Also, my body could never these days.)

When I plan trips now, I focus on these ideas:

Stay longer, travel slower

Spending seven days in one place instead of three cities in five days reduces your footprint and deepens the experience. It gives the opportunity to get the tourist stuff out of the way, if that’s what you wanted, and then really dive in. Explore neighbourhoods off the main drag. Take a local bus and wander somewhere. Pick a place to go for coffee every morning and talk to the locals. I know not everyone has the ability to travel for more than a few weeks, especially if you’re American, but even extending past the typical three days gives you such a deeper look into a destination.

Skip flights when you can

France outlawed short-haul domestic flights for journeys that can be done in under 2.5 hours by train, and I wish that rule was universal. Train travel is a fraction of the emissions of flying. Plus, you see the country you’re traveling through in a way you’d never from the sky. The Eurostar, the Shinkansen, and Italy’s Frecciarossa are all objectively nicer experiences than the airport. And far more comfortable.

Support local over global

Fast food chains may have vegan options abroad, but if there’s a locally-owned spot doing the same thing, go there. The goal is to put your money into the local economy rather than into billionaire pockets. The result? You become a more conscious consumer, and you eat better doing it. It also goes back to my first point — you get to see more of a local culture than you would going to Nobu (apologies to Nobu, because the food is excellent, but also I will always suggest going somewhere you can’t experience outside of the destination).

Pack a thermos

I know this sounds tiny, but hotels in destinations with drinkable tap water basically hand you a plastic bottle every time you turn around, unless they are like Six Senses or Soneva. So, yah, bring a thermos. In Japan, there’s the Mymizu app that maps every free water refill station in the country. Use it.

Ask where it came from

Ethical luxury travel means asking, politely, where your produce was grown, where your toiletries were made, who made your bedding, and who your porters and guides report to. The good properties will light up when you ask. The greenwashed ones will get awkward. 

The destinations leading the way

Certain destinations are miles ahead on sustainable luxury tourism. If you’re planning your Earth Day-inspired trip, these are the places I suggest:

Costa Rica

I forever am impressed with what Costa Rica did and wish more countries would follow in its steps. The country now operates on 99 percent renewable electricity and reversed its deforestation, with 50 percent forest cover. In 1948, it abolished its military and reinvested the funds into green, social, and eco-tourism initiatives. Pacuare Lodge and Origins Lodge are two of the standout sustainable luxury properties.

Bhutan

Bhutan’s philosophy is Gross National Happiness, which is something I can get behind. It is also the only carbon-negative country in the world and has intentionally kept tourism small-scale through a daily sustainable tourism fee. The result is an incredibly preserved culture, uncrowded trails, and incredible vegan food. Amankora and Six Senses Bhutan properties are considered among the most sustainable.

Rwanda

The tiny African country has emerged as a leader in responsible wildlife tourism. Permits for gorilla trekking are capped and expensive on purpose, with funds going back into conservation. Rwanda is one of my most incredible travel memories, and hiking to gorillas was magical. The country also does not allow plastic bags (so don’t pack toiletries in them). One&Only Gorilla’s Nest and Singita Kwitonda will blow you away.

The Maldives

The island nation near India is investing heavily in renewable energy and waste reduction (Soneva Fushi has run a zero-waste program for years). It is focused on an a large-scale effort to rebuild reefs that have become victim to the warming ocean. Many projects at luxury hotels work with local organizations like Save the Beach Maldives to involve the community and hotel guests to join the efforts.

Slovenia

I fell in love with Ljubljana back in 2014 when I first visited Slovenia. The country is the world’s first Green Destination and leads the way with its Slovenian Green certification recognizing destinations and service providers for meeting its high standards. Ljubljana cut off cars from its city center and was the first European city to adopt a Zero Waste strategy. In addition, in 2021, the country issued a €1 billion sustainability bond for funding environmental projects. Villa Planinka in Jezersko earned a Green Key in 2023. In Bled, there is Ribno Alpine Resort, which is the country’s first zero waste hotel (2018). Three years ago, it became the first hotel in the European Union to receive the European Zero Waste Business Certificate with two stars. Two years later, it earned all three.

The future is regenerative

The next evolution of sustainable luxury travel is regenerative travel, where the goal is to give back more to a destination than you take from it.

For a luxury vegan traveller, that can look like:

• Staying at a conservation-driven resort where a percentage of your nightly rate directly funds anti-poaching work or coral restoration
• Participating in an environmental restoration experience while on property, like tree planting, reef monitoring, or citizen science
• Choosing tour operators who reinvest in the communities you’re visiting instead of extracting from them

I’ve been a part of these experiences at Shamwari Reserve in South Africa, where the funds go to anti-poaching and conservation, and also planted trees there. It’s a shift from passive tourism to active contribution, and I think it is an incredibly exciting direction for luxury travel.

So, where are you going?

Luxury vegan travel, for me, comes down to refinement. It’s about choosing experiences that match your values while elevating every part of the trip. The future of luxury travel is intentional, plant-based, and deeply connected to the world.

Planning a sustainable luxury vegan trip and not sure where to start? I offer custom itinerary planning through Vegan Travel Planner. Forget the stress of planning; simply share your destination and preferences and I’ll create a seamless journey. From Michelin tasting menus in Berlin to ethical safaris in South Africa to slow travel through Italy, I’ll handle every detail so your trip aligns with your values without compromise. The world awaits, let’s plan your vegan adventure!

https://vegansbaby.com/luxury-vegan-travel/