Veggies Abroad Vegan Travel Podcast

In this special solo episode, Rebecca shares some exciting updates from behind the scenes at Veggies Abroad, including new trips, growing demand for custom travel planning, and what's on the horizon for the business. From upcoming adventures in Greece, Peru, India, and Thailand to the challenges of balancing travel, entrepreneurship, and a rapidly growing company, Rebecca offers an honest look...

Is Mexico City the new vegan capital of the world? In this episode of the Veggies Abroad podcast, host Rebecca Gade Sawicki is joined by her "part-time travel partner" Matt to recap their recent adventure through the vibrant, high-altitude streets of CDMX. While cities like London and Berlin often steal the plant-based spotlight, Mexico City is a heavyweight contender with over 100 fully vegan res...

What does vegan-friendly travel actually mean and is it even possible to travel in a way that’s 100% aligned with your values? In this episode, Rebecca is joined by her part-time travel partner and full-time realist, Matt, to unpack the nuance behind vegan travel. From hotel stays and food choices to carbon footprints and community impact, they explore the messy, complex reality of trying to reduc...

What if you experienced a destination without relying on your eyes? In this inspiring episode of the Veggies Abroad Podcast , Rebecca sits down with Lis Ramirez, from Quinti, a regenerative travel company in Ecuador creating immersive sensory experiences that go far beyond traditional tourism. Quinti designs experiences that invite travellers to slow down and connect through all of their senses, n...

What if the biggest barrier to travel isn’t money, but fear? In this episode, Rebecca sits down with Calen, founder of Unruly Travel, to explore how they went from never leaving the US to living in Chile alone and later crossing the country with just $300. Calen shares how moments of courage, not constant confidence, have shaped their travels. From language barriers and culture shock to sleeping i...

Check out the Veggies Abroad 2025 Impact Report at https://veggiesabroad.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Impact-Report-2025-Veggies-Abroad.pdf In this episode, we’re flipping the script. Instead of spotlighting other businesses, Rebecca pulls back the curtain on Veggies Abroad’s very first impact report. Joined by Matt (aka the “king of pizza”), this conversation dives into how the company is turni...

Is trophy hunting really helping conservation or is that just a convenient myth? In this episode of the Veggies Abroad Podcast, Rebecca sits down with Downton Abbey actor and wildlife advocate Peter Egan to unpack the global trophy hunting industry. From the shocking killing of Cecil the Lion to the economics behind hunting safaris, Peter explains why trophy hunting is far from the conservation so...

Vietnam is a country of contrasts buzzing scooter-filled streets, peaceful limestone bays, lantern-lit ancient towns, and a café culture that never sleeps. But what is it really like to travel there, especially as a vegan? In this destination deep dive, Rebecca is joined by her part-time travel partner Matt to unpack her recent trip through Vietnam, including time in Ho Chi Minh City , Hanoi , Bai...

In this episode, Rebecca and her Matt recap Rebecca’s recent trip to Cambodia through a Veggies Abroad lens, from the energy and intensity of Phnom Penh to the calmer, tourism-driven streets of Siem Reap. They talk candidly about the country’s recent history under the Khmer Rouge and why visiting memorial sites requires care, respect, and a willingness to listen. You’ll also hear about one of the...

In this interview, Susanna “Sooz” Shanker , founder of Curiosity Saves Travel, shares disturbing findings about exotic animal cafés in Japan and their wider impact on wildlife. Recent studies show that around 60% of the animals found in Japanese animal cafés belong to species listed on conservation concern registers , with 50% classified as threatened with extinction by the International Union for...

Happy New Year and happy Veganuary. In this first episode of 2026, Rebecca is joined by her part-time travel partner and now official accounting manager, Matt, to share a fresh list of veggie-friendly cities to put on your radar this year . From Ho Chi Minh City and its unexpectedly large vegan scene, including the search for vegan coconut coffee, to Bogotá’s creative plant-forward food culture an...

It’s the final Veggies Abroad Podcast episode of 2025 and Rebecca’s pulling back the curtain on what this year actually looked like behind the scenes. Fresh off three months of travel (including tours in Portugal, Iceland, and Thailand ), Rebecca and Matt break down the realities of running a values-driven travel business in a shifting landscape: post-election uncertainty, Google search volatility...

Rebecca pops in from her temporary home office—a hotel room in Bangkok—to share a quick update on Veggies Abroad’s Thailand adventures. After wrapping the first of two vegan group tours through Thailand, she recaps the highlights: incredible food (hello, khao soi!), thoughtful local guides, meaningful elephant experiences, and the joyful community that forms on every trip. Rebecca also reads trave...

In this episode of the Veggies Abroad Podcast, Rebecca sits down with Jenny and Melissa to talk about their recent vegan group tour through Portugal, followed by their own adventures in Paris and London. They share what it was like navigating Lisbon’s steep hills in surprising autumn heat, the joy of making traditional Portuguese tiles, their favorite cities on the itinerary, and the vegan dishes...

When you think of the Caribbean, you might imagine turquoise waters, palm trees, and tropical drinks—but what about vegan food? In this episode of the Veggies Abroad Podcast, host Rebecca Gade Sawicki and co-host Matt explore the most vegan-friendly islands in the Caribbean: Puerto Rico, Aruba, and St Lucia. They share where to find outstanding plant-based meals, sustainable resorts, and unique ec...

Get ready to toss some biodegradable confetti — it’s our 50th episode! Join host and chief veggie pusher Rebecca Gade Sawicki and her partner-in-travel Matt as they celebrate this milestone and explore the surprisingly vegan-friendly side of Greece. Forget what you’ve heard about feta and seafood — Greece’s mainland is filled with compassionate adventures, mountain villages, ancient history, and p...

What if your next trip could transform lives? In this episode, Rebecca sits down with Richard Bazán, Regional Director for Planeterra , the nonprofit using tourism to create lasting social and environmental impact around the world. Richard shares how Planeterra partners with more than 500 communities in 80 countries to build sustainable tourism enterprises that put people —not profits—at the cente...

Did you know that not all wine is vegan? From egg whites to fish bladders (yes, really), many wines use animal products during the refining process - but not in Sonoma with La Belle Vie Tours . In this episode, Rebecca sits down with Michelle Rulmont , founder of La Belle Vie, to explore how she created a vegan-friendly wine tour through California’s iconic Sonoma Valley. Michelle shares the surpr...

Have you ever thought about combining travel with volunteering abroad? From building schools to working in orphanages, voluntourism has become a $3 billion industry attracting millions each year. But are these short-term projects really helping—or are they causing unintended harm? In this eye-opening episode of the Veggies Abroad Vegan Travel Podcast , Rebecca speaks with Claire Bennett , co-autho...

Traveling with food allergies can feel overwhelming—even impossible at times. In this episode of the Veggies Abroad Vegan Travel Podcast , Rebecca sits down with Karine, a travel advisor and lifelong adventurer who has lived with a severe sunflower allergy since childhood. Karine shares her journey of learning how to travel safely, from creating allergy cards in multiple languages to hiring chefs...

Join Rebecca and Matt as they explore Turkey’s vibrant cities, ancient history, and evolving vegan food scene. From navigating Istanbul’s bustling streets, ferries, and feline residents to uncovering hidden vegan gems, Rebecca shares the highs and lows of eating plant-based in a country split between Europe and Asia. Discover the ancient ruins of Troy and Ephesus, the spiritual city of Konya, and...

What if your dream vacation wasn’t just relaxing—but healing too? In this episode, host Rebecca Gade Sawicki is joined by her travel companion Matt for an inside look at their transformative stay at Palmaïa – The House of AïA in Playa del Carmen, Mexico. From plant-based dining that goes way beyond cauliflower steaks, to Mayan-inspired wellness rituals, kombucha-stocked minibars, and spiritual spa...

In this episode of the Veggies Abroad Vegan Travel Podcast , Rebecca Gade Sawicki chats with Tara McCallum from Intrepid Travel about something we don’t talk about enough in tourism — gender inequality. While women make up more than half the global travel workforce, they’re still underrepresented in leadership and often stuck in lower-paid, insecure roles. Tara shares how Intrepid is working to ch...

Is it time to ditch the plane ticket and embrace the journey? In this episode of the Veggies Abroad podcast, Rebecca sits down with Harriet Matthews from Byway , a UK-based B Corp redefining the way we travel—100% flight-free. From the bustling streets of London to the vibrant landscapes of Morocco, Harriet shares how Byway’s innovative overland itineraries are helping travelers explore Europe and...

What happens when two self-proclaimed homebodies—one of whom isn’t even vegan—decide to take a leap of faith on a fully plant-based group tour around Iceland? In this episode of the  Veggies Abroad Vegan Travel Podcast , host Rebecca Gade Sawicki reconnects with Nathan and Ashley, two travelers who joined her recent Iceland adventure, to unpack what made the trip unforgettable—from surprise puffin...