Hanting, China

At just over 90,000 residents, Hanting is a small, unremarkable city that offers little to lure foreign transplants. The population figure alone should give pause - this is no bustling metropolis, but rather a sleepy town better suited to retirees than ambitious expats. And as the headquarters of the hotel chain H World Group, the bureaucracy surrounding business ventures is likely a persistent headache.

While the city may have its charms, the reality is that Hanting lacks the draw of China's more prominent urban centers. Unless you have a specific reason to be there, such as a job placement or family ties, this nondescript locale is better left to domestic tourists than globetrotting adventurers.