Bei’an, China

With a population of just 308,237, Bei'an is hardly the bustling metropolis you may have envisioned. The former "Gun City" is now a quieter county-level outpost, its manufacturing past giving way to a sleepier present. While the city has shed its militaristic reputation, bureaucracy remains a persistent headache - a legacy of its time as the capital of the Japanese puppet state of Manchukuo.

The climate here is unremarkable, with no standout features to write home about. Overall, Bei'an seems best suited for those content with a slower pace of life, far from the noise and excitement of China's megacities.