During my trip to Nepal I spent a very enjoyable week in Dhulikhel, which seemed to me a good way to combine relaxing, culture and an exploration of the Himalayas. I felt like I was truly in Nepal.
I particularly like the temple of Shiva which has a timeless atmosphere. I met a passionate sort of guru or wizard there who spent at least 2 hours telling me his life story.
It was also a good place for short treks in the countryside and I went as far as the tower at Namo Buddha. It was very nice to be able to do "reasonable", shorter walks, and to be able to stop and talk to people along the way.
But the best part of the day was the relaxing and peaceful evenings. I was surprised to find that I enjoyed living at the Nepalese rhythm that is so suited to Dhulikhel - dinner at 6 p.m., bed at 8 p.m.