Baishan, China

With a population of 968,373, Baishan is a sizable prefecture-level city in China's northeastern Jilin province. However, don't let the numbers fool you - this remote outpost is a far cry from the glitz of Shanghai or Beijing. Bureaucracy is a persistent headache, with the city only recently graduating from a county-level backwater to a prefecture in the 1980s. And the climate is decidedly chilly, with a humid continental climate bordering on the frigid. For those undaunted by the paperwork and willing to brave the cold, Baishan may offer an authentic slice of northeastern Chinese life. But for the faint of heart, this is a destination best admired from afar.