Last Updated on June 26, 2025 by Jeremy

If you’ve ever sipped ginger tea in a forest bungalow or picked wild herbs with a local healer in the mountains, you know: there’s something different about living plant-based instead of just eating plant-based.

For those of us seeking deeper connection—whether it’s with our food, our health, or the land itself—homestaying with herbalists is one of the most immersive and rewarding ways to travel. These aren’t your average Airbnb stays. We’re talking about waking up to the scent of lemongrass, learning to make tinctures with jungle-foraged plants, and swapping recipes with your host over open-fire chai.

It’s a nature lover’s dream and a lifestyle nomad’s wellness retreat rolled into one.

Here are the most enriching destinations around the world where you can live the plant-based life firsthand—guided by those who’ve practiced it for generations.

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Why Herbalist Homestays Matter

Herbalist families often live in harmony with their environment—growing, harvesting, and preparing plants for food, medicine, and ceremony. Staying with them isn’t just a vacation—it’s a cultural exchange. You’re not only learning natural healing, but supporting sustainable tourism, local economies, and time-honored traditions that risk being lost.

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1. Chiang Rai, Thailand

In the hill country north of Chiang Mai, you’ll find tribal herbalists practicing ancient remedies using turmeric, holy basil, ginger, and wild botanicals found nowhere else.

Why it’s powerful:
Herbal medicine is deeply rooted in Northern Thai culture. Local hosts often teach you how to infuse oils, brew tonics, and cook full vegan meals using homegrown ingredients.

How to experience it:

• Book a homestay with a Thai herbalist family through Homestay.com.
• Join a guided Thai medicine and market tour via Viator.
• Use Booking.com or Trivago Canada to stay in nearby plant-based eco-resorts.

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2. Oaxaca, Mexico

This cultural hotspot is known for its plant medicines, temazcal (sweat lodge) ceremonies, and wildcrafted mole blends. Many herbalist families grow their own herbs and teach ancestral Zapotec remedies.

Why it’s powerful:
The blending of ancient traditions with rich biodiversity makes Oaxaca a haven for healing and plant wisdom.

How to experience it:

• Stay with a mezcalero family that practices herbalism via Homestay.com.
• Take a healing plant walk and cooking class through GetYourGuide.
• Book flights and boutique herbal hotels using Expedia or Travelocity.

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3. Kerala, India

This coastal region is the birthplace of Ayurveda, an ancient system of plant-based healing that’s still practiced in daily life by locals. Expect to find turmeric roots drying on rooftops and neem leaf bundles by every doorway.

Why it’s powerful:
It’s one of the few places where you can live inside an active herbal healing center while also learning directly from Ayurvedic doctors and their families.

How to experience it:

• Stay in an Ayurvedic homestay or herbal retreat center with Homestay.com.
• Book an herbal cooking class or Ayurvedic healing session with Viator.
• Use Orbitz or VRBO to find tranquil guesthouses near spice gardens.

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4. Transylvania, Romania

Not just for vampires—Transylvania is one of Europe’s best-kept herbal secrets. Folk healers here still forage mountain herbs and prepare tinctures passed down through generations.

Why it’s powerful:
Low pollution, strong herbal traditions, and a deep respect for forest medicine make this an underrated plant-based travel gem.

How to experience it:

• Join a wild herb foraging tour in the Carpathian Mountains through Viator.
• Book homestays with herbalists who offer salve-making workshops via Homestay.com.
• Use Travelocity to stay in authentic village homes with organic gardens.

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5. Bali, Indonesia

Beyond the smoothie bowls and Instagram yoga, Bali is a hub for Balinese healing. Herbalist families here grow jamu ingredients (traditional medicinal drinks) like turmeric, tamarind, and moringa.

Why it’s powerful:
Jamu is more than just wellness—it’s a spiritual and ceremonial practice handed down by women. Staying with these families gives you direct insight into plant-based living, healing, and devotion.

How to experience it:

• Learn jamu making and Balinese healing rituals via Viator.
• Stay with a healer family in Ubud using Homestay.com.
• Find serene rice field retreats through Trivago Canada or Expedia.

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Final Thoughts: Eat the Herbs, Live the Life

Plant-based living isn’t just about what you put on your plate—it’s about how you connect to the land, the people, and the rhythms of nature. Homestays with herbalists bring you into a slower, more intentional lifestyle rooted in healing, sharing, and old-world wisdom.

Ready to start your own plant-based travel chapter?
Explore immersive homestays with Homestay.com, guided herbal tours via Viator, or plan your next botanical getaway using trusted partners like Expedia, Travelocity, VRBO, Orbitz, and Trivago Canada.