Mishref, Kuwait

It's a sleepy residential area with only six blocks, home to a handful of embassies and a UN center. Bureaucracy is a persistent headache, with multiple embassy compounds clustered in the adjacent West Mishref area. The climate can be brutally hot, with temperatures routinely exceeding 40°C. This small, insular suburb is a quiet refuge for diplomats and international organizations, but offers little in the way of excitement or amenities for most expats.