Xique-Xique, Brazil

With a population of just 40,373, Xique-Xique is a tiny municipality in Brazil's Northeast that offers little to lure foreign residents. The town takes its name from a local cactus, which hints at the arid, unforgiving climate. While the first Europeans arrived here in the 1500s, Xique-Xique remains a sleepy regional outpost, its economy centered around the nearby São Francisco River. Bureaucracy is a persistent headache, and the town's remoteness means access to amenities and infrastructure is limited.

This is not the Brazil of beaches, samba, and glitz. Xique-Xique is for the intrepid few who can handle the isolation, red tape, and lack of creature comforts. For most, the charms of big-city Brazil or the natural wonders of the Amazon will be a far better fit.