Starhills Coffee Shop – Gyeokpo, Korea
Posted by: 
silverquill
N 35° 37.645 E 126° 28.188
52S E 270867 N 3945573
One need not be a guest in the motel to have a cup of coffee here - in the comfortable inside seating area or outside on the deck with a stunning view of the beach and rock formations here.
Waymark Code: WMEBVK
Location: Jeolla buk do, South Korea
Date Posted: 05/04/2012
Views: 1
Starhills Motel Coffeeshop
Gyeokpo, Korea
(view from across the beach, seen just right of center))
Although there are larger and more luxurious hotels in this are, the Starhills Motel offers comfortable, clean accommodations with a stunning view of the beach and rock formations for which this area is famous. The beach is a few steps from the front door, with trails leading in both directions. The coffe shop has a spacious deck with tables and chairs overlooking the beach.
There are small restaurants in the immediate area, or it is a short walk into the main part of town for a wider selection. The motel has a small cafe (see the poster for their special hangover cure - pollack soup), and a new coffee shop (opens at eight).
Be prepared for a great selection of fresh seafood! The fish, and other sea creatures, are taken directly from the tanks outside, and usually served raw. Octopus tentacles continue to writhe on the plate - really fresh!
Most of this peninsula where the town of Gyeokpo is located is part of a national park, though the actual boundaries are not clearly marked. This area is noted for dramatic layered sedimentary rock formations along the coast. But, the small crescent beach here is lovely, a find not often mentioned in tourist literature.
The little town of Gyeokpo is a picturesque fishing village, now protected by two great breakwaters with a lighthouse at the end of each one. A boardwalk allows visitors to walk out to the end of the south jetty. There is also a park there with several military planes and rocket launchers on display. (A large naval ship was also anchored here, but on our last visit, it had been removed. Whether it will be returned is unknown. It was really the anchor of this military park).
There are trails at both ends of the harbor area. To the north, the trail leads up to the high bluff where there is an observation pavilion offering fantastic coastal vistas, with small islands visible offshore. The south bluff has a lovely park, and is a shorter climb.
There are many other attractions on the peninsula including fine beaches such as Gasapo, the fascinating Silkworm Town Museum, and some of the best waterfalls in the country.
There is a path up to the hill on the north hill where there is an observation pavilion overlooking the harbor.