The Island of Smiles

• Prize
  Shortlist
• Photographer
  Chengying Li, Taiwan
• Category
  Asia
• Instagram
  https://www.instagram.com/tacojohn_li/

On Surin Island, Thailand, material scarcity defines daily life — but the island’s children refuse to be defined by lack. Through wakeful mornings by the sea, imaginative play under the sun, and radiant smiles that light up every corner of their village, they demonstrate that happiness is not something to be found — it is something to create. This series reveals the contrast between a humble environment and the vibrant spirit that thrives within it, reminding us that joy lives not in possessions, but in hearts and communities.