Bogotá’s Potential in Wellness Tourism Starts With an Amazonian Nut
Photo Caption: The cacay nut not only leads to an incredible cosmetic product, but can also benefit locals in high-conflict areas of Colombia. Courtesy of Kahai SAS
Skift Take
The cacay nut is a perfect example of how tourists can directly benefit entire countries simply by buying products for their own wellness in cities like Bogotá that help support poorer regions throughout Colombia. Maybe someday being a tourist will become less about being a foreigner and more about being a better global citizen.
I was out to eat at Restaurante Leo celebrating the birthdays of two dear friends when I first heard about the cacay tree. Restaurante Leo, located in downtown Bogotá, Colombia, was created by award-winning chef Leonor Espinosa to showcase and celebrate the incredible biodiversity and ecosystems of Colombia. The country is the second most biodiverse country in the world, after all (after Brazil).
Ingredients featured in her dishes come from all corners of the country. In fact, on the left side of the menu, the restaurant provides a color-coded map, so guests are able to trace from where each dish comes — from the Andean forest to the Amazon rainforest to the coastal marine to the Colombian wetlands. For a restaurant that truly celebrates Colombian cuisine, plants, animals, and ingredients, it really is no wonder why it’s the 10th best restaurant in Latin America.
[caption id="attachment_329818" align="alignnone" width="600"] Restaurante Leo in Bogotá celebrates the incredib
