My Favorite Trips: Packing whiz and author Hitha Palepu

Hitha Palepu, author of How To Pack: Travel Smart for Any Trip and the Hitha On The Go blog grew up on an airplane (literally: her mom potty-trained her on a flight back from India at age 2) and hasn’t stopped traveling since. Here, a few of her favorite getaways.

Palepu enjoys exploring Greece.

CRUISING THE MED

We did a two-week Seabourn cruise this summer and sailed through Greece, Sicily, and Malta. I fell in love with Malta: The history, the food, the people. It felt like I was discovering a hidden gem. Everything about that trip was perfect – exploring islands we may have never visited, swimming in the clear Mediterranean, and enjoying the top service and food aboard the ship. It was one of my favorite vacations, period.

Hitha Palepu on a two-week Seabourn cruise.

INDIAN OPULENCE

There’s nothing like the Taj Falaknuma Palace in Hyderabad. Everything about the experience makes you feel like you’re the nizam or queen of Hyderabad, from the rooms and the service to the property itself.

MALDIVES HONEYMOON

We honeymooned at the Park Hyatt Maldives Hadahaa in an overwater villa. This place is pure relaxation (which was necessary after a four-day wedding with 1,000 guests!). I’ll never forget afternoon tea in the Dhoni [the lounge named for its roof, which looks like an overturned fishing boat] and private dinners on our balcony.