Kasungu, Malawi

Capital City

Living in Kasungu is a gritty, tobacco-fueled existence. The population stands at just 58,653, and the main industry is growing the contentious cash crop. But the town's location - 130 km from the capital Lilongwe and 35 km east of Kasungu National Park - offers little in the way of amenities or attractions.

Bureaucracy is a persistent headache, with the chronically overcrowded 179-bed district hospital suffering from staff and drug shortages. Famine has also been an all-too-common scourge, with over 100 deaths recorded in 2002 alone. The climate is humid subtropical, with a rainy season lasting 5 months - hardly ideal for those seeking a tropical paradise.

Kasungu is a hardscrabble town best suited for die-hard tobacco farmers and those with a high tolerance for administrative hassles.