Embarking on an indefinite, slow-paced journey across regions like Southeast Asia, Central Asia, and Central and South America, I’ll be blending remote work with immersive experiences. My accommodation will range from hostels to homestays, and I plan to manage laundry with a dry bag, supplemented by occasional service washes. A significant portion of my trip will revolve around the water: as a scuba diver, I’ll join liveaboard trips and spend four months on a marine conservation project, diving daily. This explains the multiple swimsuits and my personal mask and snorkel. Beyond diving, my interests include hiking, beach trips, wildlife, and photography—which leads to my central dilemma.
I am deeply torn over whether to bring my Fujifilm mirrorless XT-1 camera. The allure of capturing unique wildlife, especially during treks in places like Borneo, is powerful. However, adding the camera, a 50-200mm zoom lens, and necessary accessories would introduce over 1.5kg to my pack, a considerable weight for what might be occasional use. I’m also tempted by the idea of a DJI Flip drone for dynamic content, but growing global flight restrictions and packing constraints give me pause. My packing list is built around a 40L Osprey Fairpoint, aiming for a versatile one-bag setup that supports my active lifestyle—including gym sessions and HIIT workouts—while accommodating everything from tech essentials to a compact laundry system. The question remains: is this approach realistic, or am I trying to fit too much into one bag?
That’s a lot of clothes for one-bag travel. It’s your call, but do you really need four swimsuits? Two seems like more than enough.
Regarding clothing, as others have noted, you could likely pack a bit less. However, if you’re traveling to Asia, it’s wise to include some conservative options. Tank tops and shorts shouldn’t be too revealing or low-cut. Personally, I avoid tank tops in favor of looser t-shirts that cover the shoulders, and I ensure my pants aren’t too tight and are of a respectable length. It’s unfortunate that this must be considered, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.
I can’t really comment on your drone and camera choices, as everyone has a different opinion on what’s essential.
I’m currently in Guatemala with a similar packing list, including camera and lens, and ended up needing a 60+10 backpack plus a messenger bag—which meant checking luggage. I also had to pack over three months of medication (1.9 lbs, 5 liters) and all personal care products due to allergies (about 1.4 lbs, 1.5 liters), along with some warm clothes. Just the camera, laptop, medications, and a change of clothes in case my checked bag was lost nearly maxed out my carry-on capacity.
Trying to fit all that into a 50L bag seems very ambitious. Consider cutting back and buying items as you need them during your trip. For example, I left out a swimsuit since I didn’t need one in Guatemala and plan to pick one up when I reach Costa Rica.
For your camera, be sure to pack silica gel packs to manage humidity and condensation. I use a foldable insulated lunch bag for medications that need to stay cool while traveling, and I’ll repurpose it to let my camera adjust slowly to indoor temperatures after shooting outside.
The camera struggle is real. As a former Fujifilm user who has owned or used the XT30ii and XT5, I find the XT-1 with a 50-200mm lens (whether it’s the 55-230 or 55-200) falls short for wildlife due to slow autofocus and a dim aperture. It’s also not ideal for general photography. I’m unsure about the weather sealing on that combo, and you’ll likely face the elements often.
A truly capable wildlife setup can be expensive, but a secondhand Canon R10 with the RF 100-400mm would significantly outperform that Fujifilm kit for wildlife, though it also has limitations and isn’t weather sealed. The Canon R7 is another excellent body to consider used. The main drawback with Canon is the lack of lightweight, general-purpose RF lenses in the 24-80mm range.
If budget allows, a Micro Four Thirds system is my top recommendation for its balance of weather sealing and zoom capability.
If switching systems isn’t feasible, consider an Osmo Pocket 3, an Olympus Tough TG-7, or a high-end smartphone paired with binoculars and a phone mount. This lets you enjoy photography without a dedicated camera. I have no drone experience, but it would only be worthwhile if it were a major trip focus.
After trying multiple camera systems and learning about binoculars this year, I’ve been much happier with a quality pair of binoculars. It shifts the focus to observing wildlife and learning their behavior, rather than straining for the perfect shot.
One-bag travel requires compromise. Bringing a dedicated camera system will likely turn this into a 1.5-2 bag trip, given all your planned activities.
My lens is the 55-200. I knew it wouldn’t be perfect for wildlife, but it’s far better than my phone’s zoom. I appreciate your point about using binoculars to be more present instead of just focusing on getting a shot.
I might look into a binocular setup and perhaps a phone attachment. That seems like a good compromise to satisfy my photography interest.
Let me save you some trouble—I did a similar indefinite trip through Southeast Asia in 2019. I brought my Fuji XT-1 with a telephoto lens, but ended up sending it home with a friend because my pack felt too heavy. I regretted it immediately and spent the rest of my trip wishing I had it, especially for photographing wildlife. When my phone was stolen, I was stuck using a burner phone for photos for nearly six months in remote areas where replacing an iPhone wasn’t an option. For some, that’s fine, but as someone who really enjoys photography, it was a major letdown.
Remember, things like t-shirts and socks are easy to replace on the road. Make space for the hobbies that help you connect meaningfully with your surroundings—whether that’s SCUBA, photography, or hitting the gym.
My advice: skip the drone, bring the Fuji with a standard and telephoto lens (a wide angle is overkill), and consider a compact pair of 8×28 binoculars—I use mine far more often than the telephoto. As others have noted, your biggest weight issue is your clothing and some redundant items. One USB-C cable and one padlock are enough. Swap one pair of Earthrunners for shower-friendly flip-flops.
Happy travels!
As a diver, I understand the advice to pack only one bikini, but since you’ll be on liveaboards, I recommend bringing at least two. This way, you always have one drying while the other is in use. Sitting in a wet bikini or putting on a damp one after rinsing is uncomfortable for several reasons.
OP, I traveled throughout Central America this summer. At the Nicaraguan border, they will open every bag at lower-tech crossings or send them through a scanner at higher-tech ones to check for drones or photojournalism-grade long-range lenses. They are very serious about this. Just a heads-up.
You’re focusing too much on the “indefinite” part, which has increased your load. In my opinion, this is too much gear and will be heavy and burdensome to carry, making it difficult to move around. Trust me, I’ve been there—packing for a few months is essentially the same as packing for two weeks. I’d cut your clothing by half. For shoes, waterproof Tevas can suffice, but if you really want sneakers, bring them. Limit yourself to two pairs of shoes max, as Tevas double as water shoes. Two bathing suits are plenty; four is excessive, even from my experience with liveaboards.
I also recommend leaving the laptop and drone behind. Use your phone or a cheap Kindle to stay connected. A computer is a hassle to protect and likely to get damaged or wet. Do bring your camera and case. You may not be able to one-bag it, but that’s okay—use a daypack. As someone who always brings snorkel gear, remember it takes up considerable space. Practice packing in advance.
Leave all your tech at home except for your phone charger and a power bank.