Yucheng, China

With a population of just 62,365, Yucheng is hardly the glittering metropolis many imagine when moving to China. The harsh reality is that this remote outpost offers little to draw in expats beyond the novelty of living in a small Chinese town. And as the father of renowned novelist Jin Yucheng discovered, bureaucratic troubles can quickly sour the experience - he was stripped of his post and placed under investigation after a political purge.

While the region may hold nostalgic appeal for some, the drudgery of daily life in Yucheng is likely to wear thin fast. Unless you're a die-hard adventurer or have a specific reason to be here, I'd recommend looking elsewhere to satisfy your China dreams.