Victorians live in the best part of the country. But even though winters here are mild in comparison to the rest of Canada, they can cause even the most stalwart citizen to consider living in sunnier climes.

Increasing numbers of North American and European baby boomers coming close to retirement are looking for offshore properties in the world's sunbelt. Because of its stable economy, similar culture (British and French influences) and relatively inexpensive land values, many sun-seekers are drawn to the Caribbean.

Victoria photographer Derek Galon and his partner Margaret Gajek went for a vacation and fell in love with what they saw.

But once home they were surprised to find a dearth of books featuring tropical homes from that area, with none showing the vibrant colours of the tropics. What literature they managed to find was outdated or featured Asian locales such as Bali or Thailand. They set out to remedy the situation.

Their recently published book, Tropical Homes of the Eastern Caribbean, fills that void. The new coffee table book (Ozone Zone Books; $54) gives readers a taste of the different architectural styles visitors found on the Caribbean Islands -- in an extraordinary intensity.

"The other books look dull and lack vibrancy," says Galon, who has lived in Victoria for 17 years. "We used advanced digital photo-editing techniques to showcase all those vibrant and unbelievably rich Caribbean colours."

The book focuses on architecture found on a number of islands in the West Indies -- Barbados, Mustique, Grenada, Bequia and St. Lucia. Instead of focusing on a purely tropical style, the book shows a wide spectrum of different architectural approaches.

"We have a rich mixture of traditional, American and European styles," says Galon, who took two years to research, photograph and lay out the book. "Some are humble and some fancy and expensive."

The 31 residences featured in the book range from small, humble homes of locals and heritage plantation houses to contemporary designer residences and multimillion-dollar mansions.

He says people are attracted to the eastern Caribbean, such as Barbados and St. Lucia, in part because of the British influence and language in the area. French-speaking visitors will be comfortable in Martinique. Direct flights from London take only five hours, making the area an attractive retirement destination for Europeans.

The western Caribbean, on the other hand, which includes Cuba, displays typically Spanish influences in its architecture and home adornment. Both the language and the lifestyle are remarkably different, Galon notes.

While people planning their retirements are immediately drawn by the white beaches, swaying palms and warm breezes under tropical skies, there is another attraction: the "unbelievably low prices."

The most inexpensive real estate is found on the eastern side of the islands because it bears the brunt of Atlantic breezes. The western sides of all the islands face the warmer Caribbean Sea and command higher prices.

Galon says even if readers have no interest in moving to the tropics, the book can be used as inspiration for redecorating their own homes in more temperate climes.

The book has been entered in the Benjamin Franklin Book Excellence Awards 2009 and is a top finalist for the 2010 Eric Hoffer Book Award.

It is available in bookstores and at www.ozonezonebooks.com.

parrais@tc.canwest.com

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GIVEAWAY

For your chance to win a copy of Tropical Homes by Victoria residents Derek Galon and Margaret Gajek, send an e-mail to contest@tc.canwest.com.

Put HOMES BOOK in the subject line and give us your name and phone number.

The deadline is 9 a.m. Monday. We will pick an entry at random and notify the winner Monday. You must be able to pick up your prize at the Times Colonist front counter during business hours (8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.) on weekdays. Good luck.