Zhuzhai, China

With a population of just 56,908, Zhuzhai may seem like a sleepy backwater, but the reality is a persistent bureaucratic headache for outsiders. The local languages are a bewildering mix of Formosan, Hokkien, Hakka, and Mandarin, making even basic communication a challenge. And while the government touts efforts to revive indigenous tongues, the results have been disappointing so far. Zhuzhai is best suited for those fluent in the linguistic mosaic or seeking an off-the-beaten-path experience, but others may find the barriers too high to overcome.