We present tapered nanostructures fabricated on a selective area of gallium phosphide substrates for advanced optoelectronic device applications. A lithography-free fabrication process was accomplished by dry etching of metal nanoparticles. Thermal dewetting of micro-patterned metal thin films provides etch masks for tapered nanostructures. This simple process also allows the formation of plasmonic surfaces with corrugated shapes. Rigorous coupled-wave analysis calculations provide design guidelines for tapered nanostructures on gallium phosphide substrates.