The risk is very much that you hang out with other people from the same country in areas where things are geared to tourists and never see the REAL country you've gone to visit. I much prefer to stay off the beaten track for the most part and do my own thing; you get to see more and experience more that way.
5 or so years ago my parents (in their late 50s) were backpacking around SE Asia and I flew out to Malaysia to meet them. They arrived at the 5-star resort we were staying at a few hours before I was due to arrive in their shorts, tshirts, sandals and backpacks looking a little disheveled after a trip to the highlands for a few days. The doorman looked slightly aghast apparently and the concierge asked them if they had the right place. Once told they definitely did have the right place he switched in to full on ...-kissing mode to make up for it.