Kach Medina Umandap: Youngest Filipina to Visit 193 UN Countries

Ever dreamt of travelling the world? Like really travelling the world — every single country, from iconic capitals to the most underrated corners? One Filipina just did exactly that. And honestly, it’s the kind of travel story that makes you rethink your bucket list.

Also read: President Marcos Recognises 3 Pinoys Who Visited All 193 UN Countries

A Filipina who made travel history

Image credit: Kach Medina Umandap | FB page

Meet Kach Medina Umandap, the trailblazing Filipina who just became the first and youngest Filipino to visit all 193 UN-recognised countries — and she did it all using only her Philippine passport. No dual citizenship. No celebrity status. Just real grit, passion, and patience.

She completed this massive milestone on 6 January 2025, with Sudan as her final destination. Not the kind of country most people would end their travels with, right? But for Kach, it was the perfect finale to a decade-long global adventure — one that took her to war zones, remote islands, and everywhere in between.

From corporate life to backpacking around the globe

Image credit: Kach Medina Umandap | FB page

Her journey didn’t start with a luxury travel budget or a viral YouTube channel. Back in 2013, Kach left her corporate job in the Middle East and decided to explore the world. She started off by teaching English in Vietnam and slowly carved out a life of long-term travel — saving where she could, hustling online, and building her presence in the travel blogging scene.

She went on to launch Two Monkeys Travel Group, Travel With Kach, and FilipinoPassport.com — platforms that now help thousands of Filipinos figure out how to travel smart on a Philippine passport. Whether it’s applying for a Schengen visa or navigating tricky entry requirements, chances are you’ve read one of her guides before without even realising it.

Travelling with a PH passport isn’t easy

Image credit: Kach Medina Umandap | FB page

Now, here’s what makes this even more impressive: travelling with a Philippine passport is no walk in the park. Compared to passports from Japan, the UK, or Australia — where you can just hop on a plane and arrive in dozens of countries without needing a visa — Filipino travellers face more hurdles.

Most of the time, it means:

• Applying for visas months in advance

• Gathering financial documents, itineraries, flight bookings, hotel confirmations, and more

• Dealing with the possibility of rejection — simply for being a solo Pinoy traveller

• Limited access to countries that others can easily enter visa-free

So for Kach to visit all 193 UN countries under these conditions? That’s not just rare — it’s nearly unheard of.

She’s now a certified “UN Master”

Image credit: Kach Medina Umandap | FB page

Kach’s achievement earned her a place among the elite travellers recognised by NomadMania, a global community of adventurers who’ve been to every UN member state. It’s a status known as being a “UN Master”, and there are fewer than 500 people in the world who’ve done it.

Out of that small number, Kach stands tall — as the only Filipina in the group, and one of the very few who completed it using only a “weaker” passport.

So what’s next? Exploring the Philippines

Image credit: Kach Medina Umandap | FB page

Now that she’s seen the world, you’d think she’d be ready to slow down — but nope. Kach is already on her next mission: travelling to all 82 provinces in the Philippines. From Batanes to Tawi-Tawi, she’s making it her goal to fully explore the country she calls home and inspire others to do the same.

After all, there’s so much beauty in our own backyard — sometimes we just need a fresh perspective to appreciate it.

Also read: Luisa Yu: 80-Year-Old Filipina Travelled 193 Countries in the World

A story that’ll inspire you to go, too

Image credit: Kach Medina Umandap | FB page

Kach Medina’s journey proves something big: you don’t need to be rich, famous, or holding a “strong” passport to explore the world. You just need determination, resourcefulness, and the guts to take that first step — even if it means jumping into the unknown.

So if you’ve been holding off on travel, waiting for “the right time,” maybe this is the sign you’ve been waiting for.

She didn’t wait. She went.

And now, the world knows her name.