Boli, China

With a population of 95,260, Boli is hardly the idyllic rural haven some may envision. The reality is a persistent bureaucratic headache, as evidenced by the harrowing escape tale of dissident Zhang Boli. After participating in the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests, Boli spent years evading authorities before finally fleeing the country. His first wife even publicly divorced him while he was in hiding. While the pastoral setting may appeal to some, the risks and hassles of life in Boli make it a poor choice for all but the most determined.