This is the second time NomadMania has recognized Yu, as she earned the Most Positive Traveler title in 2022. “Adventure has no expiry date.” This guiding belief continues to define the journeys of an 81-year-old Filipina-American explorer, recently honored as Most Intrepid Traveler at the 2025 NomadMania Travel Awards—an international recognition given to elite explorers who embrace risk and push the limits of global travel. Miami-based Luisa Yu has built a reputation for embracing bold experiences wherever she goes, one of which was skydiving over Dubai at age 77. In 2023, she became the oldest Filipino to visit all 193 United Nations–recognized countries. In April this year, she joined fellow Filipino travel trailblazers during a courtesy visit to President Bongbong Marcos, recognizing the expanding presence and influence of Filipino travelers on the world stage. Yu currently serves as Co-Leader of Filipino World Travelers (FWT), a global community of Filipino explorers devoted to making travel a platform for learning, connection, and positive change. Her win was part of a strong Philippine showing at this year’s NomadMania Awards, where four other FWT members were named finalists across several categories. After this milestone, she continued venturing into some of the world’s most remote and challenging regions, including Afghanistan, Somalia, Turkmenistan, Algeria, Ethiopia, Tajikistan, and Chad’s Ennedi Desert.
