16-Jun-2004 -- On a whim, I attempted this confluence while visiting Nha Trang on Vietnam's south-central coast. I rented a motorbike from my hotel, and off I went with GPS in hand through the Vietnamese countryside. I initially traveled south along a brand new coastal highway that hardly had any traffic (I guess nobody knows about it yet.). I then turned inland and drove through several villages and farmland. I got plenty of curious glances from the locals wondering what this crazy foreigner on a motorbike was up to. Indeed, driving the streets of Vietnam can be a harrowing experience, with plenty of motorbikes, trucks, buses, cars (the aforementioned with horns blasting away), ox-drawn carts, dogs, bicyclists, and pedestrians sharing the road.

Eventually, the road began climbing a mountain. Near the top, I could see that I would have to climb the remaining 1.5 miles (2400 meters) on foot, as the road veered away from the confluence and toward the next peak. Since the terrain contains thick tropical vegetation and it was getting dark and I had no flashlight or mosquito repellant (an absolute must in most parts of Vietnam after dark!), I decided not to attempt the trek.

Despite not making it to the confluence, I wasn't all that disappointed. I still had a very pleasant ride through some very beautiful countryside and had a brief glimpse of a culture far removed from my own. Just experiencing the sights and the smells along the way made the excursion well worth it.

I think this confluence is reachable by anyone who is a bit more prepared and gets off to an earlier start than I.