UAE-based Filipina digital nomad Kach Medina Umandap completes historic journey to all UN countries using solely a Philippine passport
Kach Medina Umandap, a 36-year-old Filipina digital nomad, has made history as the first and youngest Filipino to travel to all 193 United Nations-recognized countries using solely a Philippine passport.
Umandap completed her extraordinary journey on January 6, 2025, with her final stop in Sudan, overcoming years of challenges and restrictions associated with traveling on a low-passport-index nationality.
A UAE-based overseas Filipino worker (OFW), Umandap divides her time between the Philippines and Dubai. Her career as a digital nomad and travel blogger has enabled her to earn a living while pursuing her dream of traveling the world. Through her work, she has documented her experiences, inspiring others to break from conventional travel norms and embrace a nomadic lifestyle.
Umandap's journey was announced by the global community of Filipino World Travelers (FWT), which celebrates Filipinos breaking barriers in international travel.
Drawing inspiration from Filipino-Americans Odette Ricasa, aged 79, and Luisa Yu, aged 80, the only other Filipinos to have traveled all United Nations countries, Umandap's accomplishment stands out due to her use of a Philippine passport solely.
Umandap holds no dual citizenship, is not a permanent resident of any other country, and, as a dedicated OFW, relies solely on her Philippine passport to navigate her travels. This makes her the first and youngest Filipino to achieve this milestone using only a Philippine passport and arguably the first woman from a developing country with a low passport index to complete such a monumental task.
According to NomadMania, a website that tracks travel accomplishments, there are fewer than 500 individuals worldwide who have achieved the feat of visiting all 193 UN countries.
In 2024, Umandap visited 26 African countries, saving Sudan as her final destination due to the country's ongoing civil war. By reaching Port Sudan in early 2025, Umandap became one of the first tourists to visit the region since the unrest, offering a glimmer of hope for the revival of Sudan's tourism industry.
Umandap returned from her trip and arrived in Cebu on January 13, 2025, and celebrated this remarkable achievement in the Philippines.
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