Ask the concierge to keep updated on various festivals and events going on around Bangkok
. There is the Chinese New Year Festival around the beginning of February along with the Bangkok Film Festival. The International Bangkok Motor Show is held in March. There is a Chinatown Food Festival in the summer that should not be missed. There are also many boat trips up the river to nearby towns like Ayutthaya. There is also a small island called Koh Kred where the Mon people have their own little community right on the river north of Bangkok next to Pakkred. The train is also a fun way to travel around outer Bangkok. It has very reasonable prices and goes to various points across the country. April through July can get very hot and humid, so be prepared to take it slow when traveling outside. It begins to cool down in August and hiking and other outdoor excursions are much more tolerable.