The Tabon Caves are located in the province of Quezon in the southwestern part of the Palawan Island. The complex consists of 29 caves, of which only 3 are open to the to the public. And in general, there are more than 200 known caves in this place, Cape Lipuun. Today, the Tabon Caves are managed by the National Museum of the Philippines - they gained worldwide fame after the remains of the oldest Filipino man were discovered here.
In 1962, National Museum staff under the direction of Dr Robert Fox discovered the skull of the so-called Tabon Man during excavations. The age of the find was between 22,000 and 24,000 years old. Funerary vessels, pottery, jewelry made of jade and other stones, stone tools, animal bones and human remains, whose age exceeds 47 thousand years, also were found here. These are the oldest human remains found in the Philippines.
In 1972, Cape Lipuun with the Tabon Caves was declared a nature reserve. It also included an island with an area of 138 hectares, which is connected to Palawan by a mangrove forest. Scientists believe that already 50,000 years ago there were people living here. And the age of the limestone caves themselves is about 25 million years old. In 1991, the island's administration of the island drew up a plan to develop tourism in the area, which with its natural and cultural significance attracts thousands of visitors every year.
You can get to the caves from the town of Quezon - the road will take about half an hour. The distance from the town of Puerto Princesa is 155 kilometres.
