Pilot whales (calderones in Spanish, pilot whales in English) are the stars: sleek black, 4 to 6 meters, characteristic bulbous forehead. They swim slowly at the surface, blow, dive. Bottlenose dolphins (delfines mulares) are the acrobats — jumps, surfing the bow wave of boats, playing with their young. From February to May, Blainville's beaked whales and tropical rorquals pass through on migration. Atlantic spotted dolphins appear in summer by the hundreds. With luck (rare but documented each year): sperm whales, orcas, and even blue whales.
Two departure ports: Los Cristianos and Puerto Colón (Costa Adeje). Outings of 2 hours (standard, observation only) or 4-5 hours (with swimming and snorkeling stop). Price: €25-40 for 2 hours, €50-70 for the day. Criterion #1: boat size. Large catamarans (60-80 people, music, bar, club atmosphere) scare away cetaceans and the experience is mediocre. Favor small boats (12-20 seats) with a biologist guide on board. Look for the "Barco Azul" label (blue flag) — it certifies compliance with approach distances and observation protocols.