Shenjiamen, China

With a population of 95,433, Shenjiamen is no quaint coastal getaway. The town's remote location 67 km northeast of the mainland means residents face a constant battle with bureaucracy just to get basic services. And while the nearby Liangxiongdiyu Island may be the official baseline point of China's territorial sea, that's little consolation when the climate is often unforgiving. This is a place for the truly hardy - or those with an iron will and deep pockets to navigate the system.