Lae, Papua New Guinea

Capital City

With a population of 100,677, Lae is the second-largest city in Papua New Guinea, but it's no vacation destination. The industrial hub is plagued by crumbling infrastructure - the city has 137 kilometers of roads, most of which are deteriorated due to lack of funding. And the tropical rainforest climate brings an extraordinary 4,500 millimeters of rainfall annually, creating a persistent headache of bureaucratic challenges. While Lae boasts a thriving food market and the country's only technological university, this gritty port city is best suited for those with a high tolerance for logistical hassles.