The RF-S 18-150mm f/3.5-6.3 IS STM is hard to beat for travel! I've taken it on three trips now and it covers 90% of what I need - from wide landscapes to decent telephoto reach for wildlife or distant subjects. Sure, it's not the sharpest at the long end, but the convenience factor is huge when you're walking around all day. The image stabilization works great for handheld shots too.

Tbh, if you’re looking at the Canon RF 24-240mm f/4-6.3 IS USM, it’s a beast for range, but it weighs around 750g and technically lacks official weather sealing. For a month in SE Asia, the humidity and random downpours are *real* reliability risks for your gear. Like, the Nano USM is super snappy for tracking, but I’d worry about the longevity of a non-L superzoom in those specific conditions... If you want to keep it light but reliable for wildlife, maybe check out the Canon RF 100-400mm f/5.6-8 IS USM. It’s surprisingly lightweight (about 635g) and gives you massive reach—basically 160-640mm equivalent on the R7. I’m not 100% sure if you want to carry two lenses, but pairing that with something like the Canon RF 28mm f/2.8 STM for street scenes is a very solid bet. The 28mm is a pancake lens, so it's less likely to get snagged or damaged while you're moving between hostels, and the technical performance is honestly great for the price.

If you want better image quality, consider the RF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM. Yes, it's more expensive and you lose some wide-angle on the crop sensor, but the build quality and sharpness are phenomenal. I pair it with the RF-S 10-18mm for landscapes when I need that extra width. Two lenses total but still very manageable for travel.

Wow ok that changes things. Gonna have to rethink my approach now.