23-May-2008 -- I have been looking enviously at this point for quite a while now and I realized that it would take a bit of effort to reach as it is quite a long way from any convenient track being located on a river island approximately half way between Kratchie and Stung Treng. Today was the day!

Plan ‘A’ was originally to hire a boat from Kratchie and make a full day of boating along the Mekong river, however the distance (and therefore the cost) was too great and as the river was not likely to be very interesting for the first 30-40 kilometres due to its size. So the four of us set off to Sambour, approximately 35kms north of Krachie and to then hire a boat to take us to the elusive Point of Confluence 13N 106E.

After visiting the 100 Pillar Pagoda in Sambour, we went to the market for our friends to buy a couple of light raincoats and then hired a small boat and headed off upstream for approximately two hours. When we were about 850 metres from 'The Point' we stopped the boat at the next hut along the river bank as that gave us a path way to climb up the steep river bank. After a short chat with the woman living at the hut, we set off to find the point while the boat driver stayed behind to look after his boat and chat about the crazy foreigners. It was an easy and pleasant walk through the forest on this Mekong River island. I was expecting swamps and lots of mud, particularly as there had been so much rain over the past few days, however we managed to stay dry and follow several small tracks almost to the exact location. There were some lovely flowers along the way and this entire part of the island was really beautiful. We past the farmer and his daughter on their way back from collecting bamboo as we found our way to the point.

On our return to the river bank and the farmers hut, the family were really welcoming and asked us to join them in their small 'Sala' by the river bank. It was getting quite late and so we politely declined and set off back to Sambour. I am sure our boat driver thought we were totally crazy as he commented a few times during this trip on the long distance we were traveling with no apparent goal as far as he could see.

This was the first Point of Confluence for our new Russian friends visiting Cambodia, however I am sure it will not be their last!

Another great trip.