Hanoi. Never heard of it? Well that's a shame, because Hanoi is a spectacular location seemingly made for studying abroad, and if you are considering spending a summer, semester, or year in another country, you should give this city serious consideration.

Meaning 'river interior' and being located on the right bank of the Red River, Hanoi is flush with stunning lakes and rivers. The obvious beauty that comes with that is part of the reason the area has been inhabited for over 3,000 years. And 'from 1010 until 1802, it was the political center of an independent Vietnam...making it the oldest capital in Southeast Asia.' 

With the abundance of bodies of water comes the abundance of rain: the city sees 1,682 mm of rainfall a year. But the climate is still very typically Vietnamese, meaning that summers are hot and humid while winters are cold and dry. And there is plenty of time to embrace that weather while getting from point A to point B on Hanoi's major form of transportation - motorbikes and bicycles.