Anlong, China

With a population of just 86,416, life in Anlong is far from the glamorous vision many foreigners have of big-city China. Tragically, the city's origins trace back to the tragic fate of Mao Zedong's son, Anlong, who died of dysentery at age 3 or 4 after his mother was executed by a warlord, leaving him and his siblings to fend for themselves on the streets of Shanghai. Today, the persistent bureaucracy that Mao's son faced remains a headache for residents and newcomers alike. This sleepy, provincial outpost is best suited for those seeking an authentic, small-town Chinese experience, not the high-octane pace of the country's megacities.