Vegetarian and Vegan Eating in Bali | Complete Guide

Bali is a paradise for vegetarian and vegan eating. From tempeh-rich traditional cuisine to modern plant-based cafes, here is your complete guide.

Bali has become one of the easiest places in the world for vegetarians and vegans to eat well. The island's Hindu culture has a long tradition of plant-based ceremonial dishes, and the modern cafe scene in Canggu, Ubud, and Seminyak offers world-class vegan cuisine.

Traditional Balinese cuisine offers many naturally vegan dishes: lawar sayur (vegetable lawar), sayur urab (coconut vegetable salad), tempeh manis (sweet fried tempeh), and various coconut-based curries with vegetables. Tempeh and tofu are staples of everyday Indonesian cooking.

When eating at traditional warungs, watch for hidden shrimp paste (terasi/belacan) in sambals and vegetable dishes. Ask "tanpa terasi" (without shrimp paste) when ordering. Also check for fish sauce in some dishes, especially soups.

For the best vegan cooking experience, our Vegan Cooking Class teaches you to make entirely plant-based Balinese dishes using organic, locally sourced ingredients. You will learn tempeh and tofu techniques unique to Indonesia, as well as how to make sambal matah and lawar without any animal products.

Top tip: the Pasar Organic market in Ubud (every Saturday morning) is an incredible source of organic produce, homemade tempeh, and artisan plant-based products. Combine it with a cooking class for the ultimate plant-based Bali day.