Meet the Oldest Filipino to Visit 193 UN-Recognized Countries

At 81 years old, bearing stamps from every corner of the globe, Luisa Yu is living proof that curiosity, courage, and a restless spirit don’t expire with age. What started decades ago as a quiet dream in a small town in Leyte has grown into a life lived across 193 countries, full of unexpected friendships and stories collected along the way.

Growing up in the Philippines, Yu was mesmerized by movies that painted distant lands in sweeping vistas—mountains, rivers, cities she could only picture. “When I went to the movies… that fascinated me,” she said, looking back. “I always thought someday I will go to these places and travel.” 

At 23, she moved to the U.S. as an exchange student and that’s where her wanderlast started to take shape. With limited means and unlimited wonder, she hopped on a Greyhound bus and began exploring the vast landscapes of America, state by state.

Thus began a lifelong love affair with travel, one that would later carve the roadmap for a globe-spanning odyssey.

Decades later, after a lifetime of planning trips between work, family, and responsibilities, Yu's persistence paid off. In November 2023, she stepped foot in her 193rd country, Serbia, and completed what many call the greatest travel achievement–visiting every United Nations-recognized nation in the world. 

From the deserts of Namibia to the turquoise beaches of Fiji, from the wild festivals of Niger to the frozen tundras of the Arctic—she’s seen it all. But more than places, it’s the stories, the cultures, the people she met along the way that she values the most. “I have seen a lot of things from different people, their life and their cultures,” she said. “I learned a lot… everybody is like us.” 

But like any adventures, hers weren’t always comfortable or easy. There were lost phones, unpredictable flights, and the sleepless nights of planning logistics in remote corners of the world. But she did it anyway because she believed in the power of seeing the world with one’s own eyes.

For many, climbing mountains or riding boats to remote islands is ambitious enough. But at 77, Luisa decided skydiving over Dubai was a must. Despite medical forms, age warnings, and the raised eyebrows of her doctor’s secretary, she went for it. And after a few signatures, she sky-dived. “This is on my bucket list,” she said. 

In 2025, at 81, she was awarded the NomadMania Most Intrepid Traveler, a fitting honor for someone who believes “adventure has no expiry date.” NomadMania is a global community and travel‑tracking platform that connects independent explorers and celebrates extraordinary travel achievements worldwide.

It wasn’t her first recognition though. In 2022, she was previously given the NomadMania Most Positive Traveler for inspiring others with her optimism and love for discovery.

Earlier in April 2025, she was recognized by President Bongbong Marcos as the oldest Filipino to visit all 193 countries in the world.

Today, Yu is more than a world traveler; she’s a co-leader of Filipino World Travelers (FWT), a global community dedicated to using travel as a force for learning, empathy, and cross-cultural connection. 

Through FWT, she uplifts a new generation of Filipino adventurers, highlighting not just the places they visit, but the stories they collect, the perspectives they gain, and the bridges they build between cultures. “Don’t be afraid,” she said, almost casually. “Just go whenever you have the opportunity, because it might not come back again.”

Yu’s travel biography was first published in the highly regarded book Galà: Adventures of the Most Well-Traveled Filipinos released in 2021 written by FWT founder Dondon Bales. The book tells her journey from a young dreamer in Leyte to one of the most traveled Filipinos in history, preserving her legacy for future generations.

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