Lizhi, China

A population of 156,753 doesn't hide the fact that bureaucracy is a persistent headache in Lizhi. The city's former vice-president, Fang Lizhi, was expelled from the Communist Party twice for his liberal activism, a cautionary tale for dissenting intellectuals. While Fang later gained international acclaim, his exile shows the government's iron grip on free speech. Lizhi may appeal to the adventurous, but those seeking stability and unfettered self-expression should look elsewhere.