Koh Samui is sometimes called the Blackpool of Thailand but it can be a good starting point before going farther off the beaten track. One tip: much as you might normally turn your nose up at the likes of Starbucks or Irish pubs when you’re abroad, they can be sanity savers if you are a first-timer in Asia. If it’s all getting too much, a flush lavatory and half an hour in air-conditioning can help you recharge so that you can go out and enjoy the “real” Thailand.