Cimahi, Indonesia

This small city in West Java is not the tropical paradise many expats imagine. With a population of 586,580, Cimahi is a major textile producer, but also home to several military training centers. The bureaucracy is a persistent headache, and the climate is a tropical rainforest with heavy rainfall for much of the year. While Cimahi offers some tourist attractions like nature sites and historical buildings, the city is better suited for those seeking an industrial, military-adjacent lifestyle than an exotic Southeast Asian adventure.