Ms Veganastic visits Krabi
- msveganastic
- Apr 27, 2019
- 6 min read
Updated: Aug 19, 2019
Is Krabi able to satisfy this vegan foodie?
My friend and I decided that we both needed a beach vacation. After hours of research we decided upon Krabi. The trip seemed like a wonderful getaway however, as a vegan my mind went directly to food. Would I be able to find vegan choices? With the language barrier would they even understand when I asked for vegan food? How would I even go about explaining it if they did not understand what I was saying? The doubt filled my mind, but I decided to pack some vegan friendly travel snacks and food just in case then brace myself for the trip ahead with an open mind and a quest to find vegan food.
As soon as we got to Baan Tubkaek Hotel - Krabi , my friend asked the receptionist if they can make vegetarian/ vegan food. When he said he was not sure and had to go check, my heart sank and I waited anxiously to hear the reply. As I waited my mind filled with questions. If the hotel does not have vegetarian or vegan options, then would any other place in Krabi have food options for me? Will I only be eating the food and snacks I brought? Would I not get a full Krabi experience; travel and food included? After a few minutes I saw a lady and the receptionist talking. The receptionist told us that she was in charge of the restaurant and would be the best person to ask. Her response was music to my ears, "We have, but you will have to inform the waiter or waitress and wait a little longer for us to make the food." I was the happiest vegan in the world as I now knew that could enjoy Krabi and not worry about food.
Our first meal was at the Baan Tubkaek Hotel's restaurant. I had fried noodles which was prepared in a manner that would be friendly for any vegan. The chef stir-fried some broccoli, baby corn, carrots, green beans and pak choy in soy sauce and added some kway teow noodles to the vegetables. It was a delicious first meal and I was confident that Krabi was going to offer a whole new vegan food adventure and I could not wait.
My friend and I decided to chill at the hotel, walk the beach and find activities that we could do the next day. We also decided to have dinner at our hotel since we were both pleased with lunch. For dinner the waitress suggested the Thai Coconut Soup. She assured me that it could be done vegan and it would still be delicious. I had to wait a little longer than my friend for my dish but when I had my first bite, I realized that it was worth the wait. I had never had coconut soup and this first bowl had me wanting to google the recipe so I could make it once I was back home. I loved the blend of coconut milk with lemon grass, ginger and spring onions. It was so simple but so flavorful. Even while writing this, my taste buds are craving for another bite of this delicious soup.
The next morning we decided to book a kayaking tour where we would kayak around the island and through a mangrove. I knew I needed to have something substantial for breakfast so that I could keep my energy high. As we entered the restaurant to eat the free buffet breakfast, the waitress asked me to follow her. She pointed at a small metal bowl with a lid and indicated with her finger that this was okay for me to eat. When I opened the lid of the bowl, I was surprised to see that the hotel had made a sautéed vegetable dish with broccoli, baby corn, mushrooms and carrots. I decided to have that with some rice and salad. After having breakfast I was full, content and ready to take on the two hour kayaking tour ahead.
After the kayaking trip, my friend and I were too tried to venture out for food so we decided to eat at the hotel's restaurant again. We asked the waitress what else they could make fully vegan. She recommended the green curry and spring rolls. The green curry was amazing, however it had a few green gooseberries which were not to my liking. But once I scooped them out of my plate the curry and the vegetables were cooked beautifully and I really enjoyed the dish. The spring rolls were good but were something that I could get back home in Malaysia so they were not a new Thai experience, but the spring rolls were tasty.
At night we went to the night market in Ao Nang. Unfortunately, our trip did not fall over the weekend which was said to be the best time to visit the market, but we decided to go regardless to get a local Krabi market experience. At the market they had a large area with stalls selling food. For meat eaters, the food area is truly a food galore as they have a variety of local and international food options. However, for vegans the choice was limited to fruits and salads. Mind you this might be very different over the weekend but on the Wednesday that we visited those were the only vegan options. We decided to walk the street and we came across a pirate themed restaurant. The person who served us was familiar with Buddhist style food; no eggs, onions and garlic. He assured me that Buddhist style food meant they only use soy sauce and he even brought out the soy sauce bottle for me to read the ingredients. The fried rice that I ordered was out in no time. I was so surprised by the flavor. As a person who does a lot of cooking myself, I base most my food with onion, garlic and ginger but to taste something without it that had a decent amount of flavor made me think of how sometimes the simplest of recipes can still taste great.
After a night of browsing the Ao Nang market and a wonderful back and neck massage I was ready for my last Krabi breakfast. When I went to look at the food at the hotel's breakfast buffet I noticed that nothing was vegan friendly except for the rice and the fruits. I was a little sad and poured myself a cup of coffee and thought about going back to my room to eat my vegan friendly food. A few minutes later a waitress tapped me on the shoulder and asked me to follow her. She gave me a plate and asked me to take some rice and she disappeared. I did not know what was happening as the waitress did not speak English but I did not want to offend her so I poured myself a little bit of rice. As soon as I turned the waitress was there with a small bowl of soup. 'Dis wan fo you. Vegetarian.' My eyes lit up and I was so happy and touched. I thanked her and the chef that was peaking out of the kitchen. I honestly had never been so happy to see a bowl of soup. The soup was delicious. Even my friend who is a meat eater tried the soup and said I wish I could have a bowl of that. The mixture of ginger and lime leaves were amazing and the vegetables and herbs were so fresh that every spoonful took my breath away. I had never had a wonderful bowl of soup in the morning and this was going to be the first of many.
Our last meal on this beautiful island was at the airport. My friend and I found a local restaurant that a lot of the people who work at the airport go to. Seeing how so many of the airport workers were flocking to this restaurant we knew it had to be safe and worth the try. The lady at the ordering counter told me that they could only do a mixed vegetable that would cater to my vegan lifestyle. I decided to order it. My mixed vegetables arrived with a huge plate of rice. The dish was a bit bland, but I appreciated the effort to make the dish vegan and the fact that it kept me fully till 8pm when I started feeling hungry for dinner.
To be honest, I was a little hesitant to travel to Krabi especially when it came to my food journey and experience. However, Krabi proved me wrong. They did have food options, a lot of food options and I was able to experience Krabi for all that it had to offer. Krabi will definitely be an island that I shall visit again. The people were great, the beaches were nice and best of all I had delicious vegan options. So for any vegans out there that have not been to Krabi, you need to visit this little island in Thailand! It is a definite must have location for every vegan's travel bucket list.
Comments