These personal experiences and firsthand conversations are reflected in each of the book's chapters on Hainan's ecology, history, culture, leisure, food, sports and economy. These topics are then brought to life by original photographs, hand-drawn maps, interviews with Hainan-based authors and scholars and profiles on colorful individuals and communities.

"One of the things I was not expecting to find was a quaint little fishing village that has been quietly half-occupied by a growing surfing community," writer Sam Davies told the audience about visiting the village of Houhai in Sanya.

"I was able to talk to some locals and others about how the village has changed, what it has meant for people's lives, and how surfing is just starting to develop in China," Davies said. "This is unreported in English language media, and we are thrilled to be able to introduce our readers to these unexpected trends."