Filipina-American traveller Luisa Yu, 81, has been recognized as the Most Intrepid Traveler at the 2025 NomadMania Travel Awards.
The annual event is often referred to as the “Oscars of world travel.” This year’s ceremony was held virtually from November 22 to 23, 2025, and gathered some of the world’s most seasoned explorers.
Photo: Luisa Yu
Yu, who is based in Miami, stood out among four other international finalists. The award celebrates travellers who continue to push boundaries with courage, curiosity, and consistency—qualities that have defined much of her journey.
In 2023, Yu reached a major milestone after completing visits to all 193 United Nations–recognized countries. Instead of slowing down, she kept going—this time toward some of the world’s most remote and challenging destinations.
Over the past year, she has travelled through Pakistan, Russia, Kenya, Ethiopia, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Austria, Switzerland, Algeria, and Chad’s rugged Ennedi Desert, where she camped under tough conditions. Her recent routes also include the Pamir Highway across India, Afghanistan, and Tajikistan, as well as trips to Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Japan, South Korea, and Turkey.
At 77, she even took on skydiving in Dubai—a moment she has described as a reminder that curiosity can override fear at any age.
As co-leader of Filipino World Travelers (FWT), Yu continues to encourage others to explore the world in their own way, sharing her belief that “adventure has no expiry date.”
A gathering of global explorers
Now in its fifth year, the NomadMania Travel Awards brings together some of the rarest travellers on the planet. More than 100 “UN Masters”—individuals who have visited all 193 UN countries—participated in this year’s event. It’s a milestone believed to have been reached by fewer than 500 people in history.
The awards program also featured discussions on a wide range of themes, including dark travel, solo woman travel, digital nomadism, LGBT travel, budget travel, travel cybersecurity, and experiences from both under-30 and over-65 UN Masters. Sessions were held in English, Spanish, and Chinese.
Only four people worldwide have managed to visit every country twice, and one traveller has gone even further by completing the so-called Grand Slam of Travel—visiting all UN countries, both poles, and outer space.
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