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If you're driving along the gorgeous North Otago coast while on a medical job in New Zealand, be sure to stop and see one of the nation's most fascinating—and mysterious—landmarks. In Moeraki, a small fishing village, you will find a sandy beach covered in large, perfectly spherical boulders.
According to Maori legend, the Moeraki Boulders were once food baskets and gourds used by ancient people aboard a famous canoe. When the canoe crashed, however, its survivors were transformed into the area's surrounding hills, while the baskets and gourds became these gray, round boulders.
Scientists, on the other hand, offer a different idea as to how these curiously round rocks came to be. Millions of years ago, the rocks were hidden inside the area's cliffs, but as erosion occurred, they were gradually revealed. Essentially, the sandstone-type rock was held together with calcium carbonate, while an extremely slow chemical reaction gave them their unique roundness. Finally, after about 60 million years, the stones became the fantastic landmarks they are today.
When you visit the area, you can decide for yourself whether they're the product of Maori legend or science.