Fish sauce, shrimp paste, dried anchovies, and seafood-based stocks are foundational to the cuisines of most Asian countries. For a traveler with a fish allergy — particularly one that extends to fish sauces, broths, and condiments — this is not a minor inconvenience. It is a planning challenge that determines which destinations are viable and which require extreme vigilance.
A question posted to r/travel about the best Asian country for someone with a complete fish allergy and a vegetarian diet generated 191 comments — one of the most engaged threads in recent travel forum history — with highly specific, country-level intelligence from experienced Asia travelers. The consensus, country by country, is more useful than most travel guides acknowledge.
Japan: The Standout, With Important Caveats
Japan is consistently the top recommendation — but with a significant nuance that most surface-level travel advice misses. Japanese cuisine uses dashi (a stock made from dried fish and kombu seaweed) as a base in a vast range of dishes that appear vegetarian: miso soup, noodle broths, rice seasonings, and many sauces. Visually meat-free food in Japan is frequently not fish-free.
However, Japan's restaurant culture around allergen disclosure is more advanced than most Asian countries. Written allergen menus are increasingly common in urban areas, particularly Tokyo and Osaka. Vegan and Buddhist-vegetarian (shojin ryori) restaurants exist and are identifiable — the latter by definition uses no fish or meat. Carrying a translation card in Japanese that specifies the allergy (both the ingredient category and common derivatives like dashi and katsuobushi) dramatically improves the experience. Organizations like VegOut Japan maintain updated restaurant guides for dietary-restricted travelers.
Taiwan: The Strongest Vegetarian Infrastructure in Asia
Taiwan has the highest density of vegetarian restaurants in Asia by most estimates, driven by a large Buddhist community for whom vegetarian practice is religious observance. Crucially, Taiwanese Buddhist vegetarianism typically excludes fish products — making it more reliably fish-free than general vegetarian menus in other countries.
Restaurants displaying the 素食 (sùshí) sign are vegetarian; those labeled 全素 are strictly vegan. Taipei has hundreds of certified vegetarian restaurants, and the practice extends to large-scale buffets that are affordable and clearly labeled. Taiwan is the strongest recommendation for a traveler combining fish allergy with vegetarian diet, particularly in urban areas.
India: Regionally Variable, But Significant Areas of Safety
India presents the most complex picture. Significant portions of Indian cuisine — particularly across Gujarat, Rajasthan, and parts of South India — are entirely vegetarian by cultural and religious tradition, and use no fish products whatsoever. In these regions, the allergy risk is minimal in the default cuisine.
Conversely, coastal India (Kerala, Goa, Bengal, and most of the east coast) features heavy seafood use including fish sauces and fermented fish pastes. The same country presents polar opposite experiences depending on the region. For a fish-allergic vegetarian, the inland vegetarian heartland of India is among the safest cuisines in the world; the coastal south and east require comparable vigilance to Southeast Asia.
Countries Requiring Significant Caution
Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia present the most consistent risk. Fish sauce (nam pla in Thai, nuoc mam in Vietnamese) is used as a base seasoning across virtually all savory cooking, including dishes that contain no visible seafood. Even "vegetarian" restaurant options in these countries often contain fish sauce unless the establishment specifically caters to Buddhist vegetarians. The risk is real and requires advance identification of suitable restaurants — both countries have Buddhist vegetarian restaurants (look for yellow flags in Thailand, chay signage in Vietnam) that reliably avoid fish products.
The Universal Practical Tool
For any destination, pre-printed allergy translation cards in the local language — specifying the exact ingredients to avoid, not just the category — are the single most important preparation step. They communicate more precisely than verbal explanation and create a written reference that kitchen staff can share with each other. For a fish allergy in Asia, the card should specify: fish, seafood, fish sauce, shrimp paste, oyster sauce, dried fish products, and seafood-based stock.
