Summer is coming, the semester is about to end. Here in South Korea, it is time for a vacation to help you recover from the stress of your finals. Korea has so many places to travel to but in my opinion, the best place to visit is Yeosu. If you have never been to Yeosu before, this is the time! Yeosu is yet to be internationalized and still holds that authentic Korean charm. It has so many hidden gems, that have yet to be discovered by Koreaโs instafamous. And cafe Rafik is one of them.
Introduction
Cafe Rafik is the most Instagramable cafe in Yeosu. The entire building has floor-to-ceiling windows and is built on the edge of a cliff overlooking the ocean.
When I first arrived there, I was amazed by how big and sophisticated the building structure was. The cafe shop is in the Yeosu Art Land area, where you can also come and see the great architecture of the buildings blending in harmoniously with the surrounding nature. If you wish to access all the great media arts inside the building, you will need to buy tickets and the price changes based on which exhibit youโd like to see. However, the cafe shop is free to access and you are one cup of coffee away from taking breathtaking pictures for your Instagram page.ย
Location
You will not have difficulty finding the location of the coffee shop since there are signs all over to guide you. Moreover, the area is not very complicated, it is quite straightforward even if you know very little Korean.ย
When you come in and order, you will need to wear a mask. Surprisingly, the staff can speak English quite well. I was able to order a drink, and make a special request about how it was made, and they understood me with ease. I found this interesting because in the city of Yeosu, finding Korean people that can speak English is quite tricky, especially taxi drivers.ย
Drink and dessert
The drinks at Rafik were quite basic, however, the bakery and dessert options were quite fascinating and visually appealing. I didnโt try any bread or cookies there but it looked delicious. The drink I tried tasted very ordinary, I didnโt find it spectacular or surprisingly good. However, I did not expect much since this coffee shop is famous for its view of the sea and beautiful nature. The price of the drink is a little bit expensive, however, I think it is fair for the special location of this coffee shop.ย
Interior
Inside the coffee shop was decorated with that white theme touch. It looked classy for the Instagram pictures. However, the highlight was undoubtedly the big glass windows. They made the cafe feel massive. Moreover, all the windows were looking out to nature, the sea, and the sky. If you check the Instagram pictures of this cafe, you will notice that most of the people are posing in front of the sea view window.ย
The Rafik coffee shop has 3 floors, with different levels of height for different experiences. The lowest level is the open door to the sea. It is mostly for taking pictures. The middle level is the main area for coffee chit-chat and chilling, tables and chairs are set up there. The highest level is for taking breathtaking pictures of nature from high up. This floor also has some interesting architectural features to take pictures with.
Conclusion
Overall, I was quite happy with this coffee shop. Everyone who is new to Yeosu should make a stop at this cafe. This coffee shop and its view definitely wonโt disappoint you.
Click on this link to access their website.
แ แ กแแ ตแแ ณ Cafe Rafik Address: 142-1 Musummok-gil, Dolsan-eup, Yeosu-si, Jeollanam-do Korean address: ์ ๋จ ์ฌ์์ ๋์ฐ์ ๋ฌด์ ๋ชฉ๊ธธ 142-1 Operating Hours: summer season : 09:00 - PM 21:00 winter season : 09:00 - PM 20:00
Looking for more fun activities in Yeosu? Click Here to read about Arte Museum Ocean.