Vegan travellers hopping around Asia have been singing the praises of four Westin properties, and their itinerary doubles as a handy shortlist for anyone torn between a city break and a beach escape. The route covers Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur for urban luxury, then two very different beach options: an over-water Maldivian resort and a drive-to resort on Malaysia's southern coast.
In Bangkok, The Westin Grande Sukhumvit has been doing the business for more than 30 years, and its location is the selling point — both the BTS and MRT are steps away, so you can skip the traffic entirely. The eighth-floor pool and 24-hour gym cover the wellness basics, and the Club Lounge is the spot for an evening drink. The surprise highlight was Kisso, the hotel's Japanese restaurant, where a vegetarian bento box can be made fully vegan on request — crispy tempura, avocado salad and tofu steak served in a private dining room.
Kuala Lumpur's Westin, in Bukit Bintang within walking distance of Pavilion Mall and an MRT station, suits longer stays thanks to its One Bedroom Residences with kitchen, office and private entrance. The Living Room restaurant carries a clearly labelled plant-based section on its à la carte menu — vegan spaghetti bolognese with meatballs, chickpea and quinoa salad, and a mango sago gula Melaka for dessert.
For the beach leg, The Westin Maldives Miriandhoo Resort sits in Baa Atoll, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and one of the country's best areas for snorkelling and diving, reached by a short seaplane hop from Velana International. A Deluxe Beach Pool Villa with your own stretch of sand is the dream here, and the food operation goes well beyond token salads: vegan congee and pancakes at Island Kitchen, Asian street food on the beach at Hawker, and plant-based Japanese dining at the over-water Pearl.
The fourth stop, The Westin Desaru Coast Resort on Malaysia's Johor coast, is the budget-friendly alternative to the Maldives — under an hour from Johor Bahru and an easy trip from Singapore. It's a repeat-stay kind of place: two pools, a Heavenly Spa, bikes for hire and a long golden beach. Chefs have recently added dedicated vegan dishes to both restaurant menus, including a jackfruit rendang at poolside Kedidi and plant-based pizza at Italian spot Prego.
The takeaway: Westin's Asian portfolio is genuinely workable for plant-based eaters, which is still rare at this scale, and the city-to-beach pairing makes it easy to build a single trip — a couple of nights in Bangkok or KL, then fly on to the Maldives or simply drive to Desaru if you're based in Singapore or Johor.
