What to do after Lavaridge Town in Pokemon Emerald?

Question

After I beat the gym I was confronted by May with the Go-Goggles after that I went to the desert but I don't know what to do there. Do any of you guys know?

Comments

The desert is completely optional. You can battle the trainers there if you have time and want experience.

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I think you have to go to the northern entrance to the desert which leads to the northern part of the entire region, continue westward until you find some waterfall type of stuff and fight one of the mafia teams there

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That's before Lavaridge Town.

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I thought the one before Lavaridge Town was that volcano via that zipline cable thing and the reason you go north towards the waterfall place near the northwestern most region of Hoenn was a shortcut back to fight the player's dad?

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The sequence is Mauville City -> Meteor Falls -> Mt. Chimney -> Lavaridge Town -> Petalburg City. You kind of do have to walk or bike all the way back to Mt. Chimney after Meteor Falls. I don't know why they designed the region this way.

Answer 1

Desert plus Mirage Tower for the Root Fossil or the Claw Fossil (requires Mach Bike and Rock Smash) or head straight to Petalburg and battle everybody in the Gym.

Also you can get a Fire Stone and the Toxic TM in Fiery Path by using Strength on the way back to Petalburg if you take the north route.

Answer 2

The desert is completely optional but you can battle the trainers there, catch the desert exclusive Pokemon, get one of the fossils from the mirage tower if you want and get the sandstorm tm.

What you have to do now to progress is go back to Petalburg city to battle the fifth gym leader Norman (your character's dad). You get the surf hm after beating him so then you can continue to the east of Mauville.