I remember similar advice when I visited Bali. I had learned Indonesian and people are much more blunt in their own language.

I asked our driver about going to visit a temple, and he mentioned the largest temple. I asked him how it was and he said, "A lot of people visit it so they aren't as friendly as they used to be."

He recommended the second largest. We went to it and there was a spectacular temple in the jungle literally no one there, except an old man, somewhat dressed up, sitting on a wall and looking at the buildings. I chatted to him for a bit, and at some point I realized he was the head priest! (I felt great relief I had remembered the respectful form in Indonesian.)

He explained to me that everyone was preparing for the great festival in ten days, and would we like to come? Unfortunately, we would be gone by then, so I apologized, but the whole experience was like a magical dream.