Awassa (Hawassa), Ethiopia

Capital City

This Ethiopian city of 300,100 people is no tourist paradise. The political center may have shifted here in 1968, but the Sidama people who lived here beforehand were simply bulldozed out of their homes without warning or compensation. Today, bureaucracy remains a persistent headache, with the regional government set to move elsewhere in the next election cycles. While the tropical climate is tolerable, the occasional freezing morning temperatures can be a rude awakening. Ultimately, Awassa is best suited for those who can navigate its challenges - this is no picturesque Rift Valley retreat.