Tabon Caves

The Tabon Caves riddle Lipuun Point, a limestone headland near Quezon: more than 200 caves, a handful open to visitors. This is where the Tabon Man remains and the Manunggul burial jar (the one from the museum textbooks) were found, pushing human history in the Philippines back tens of thousands of years. Visiting is refreshingly old-school: register at the National Museum office in Quezon town (entry is free, guided tours run Tuesdays, Thursdays, and weekends at 9am and 1pm), then a short boat ride from the wharf to the point. The caves themselves are big, airy chambers opening straight onto the sea. Half archaeology lesson, half coastal scenery, zero crowds.