Published:  15:23 Friday - January 13, 2017

Animal protection group PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) has listed HCM City among the top 10 havens for vegans and vegetarians in Asia.

PETA’s list of Top 10 Vegan-Friendly Cities in Asia has HCM City thanks to its bustling vegan scene with a wide array of no-meat menus.

The city offers meat-free alternatives of the most popular Vietnamese dishes, from banh mi (bread) and minced beef rolls to wok-fried chicken, sweet and sour pork and all kinds of noodles.

“PETA applauds the city’s thriving vegan culture, which satisfies appetites, preserves the environment, and saves animals from suffering,” Jason Baker, the animal protection group’s vice president of international campaigns, said in an online statement.

Visitors should look for the word quan chay, which means vegetarian restaurant, but many other restaurants also offer vegetarian food.

Taipei topped the list. Bangkok and Chiang Mai in Thailand, Singapore, Makati in the Philippines, Bangalore in India, Hong Kong, Bali in Indonesia, and Shanghai in China are the others.

In 2015 US travel website When On Earth listed HCM City among the ideal cities for vegetarians.