I think that the most important part is to make sure that you apply the same criteria to woman selection here that you would back in your own country. Somehow men here throw all caution to the wind and then feel lucky when they land an attractive woman who far outshines their own looks, blah blah blah. Then they are shocked when they find out they are being used????
In your home country would you:
1) Date a woman with whom you don't share the same language and can't communicate?
2) Date a woman with whom you don't share the same religion? (some might)
3) Date a woman who is much younger or much older than you?
4) Date a woman who does not have any way to support herself (no education, no job, etc.)
5) Date a woman who was being pressured into dating you by her family who see you as the answer to their dire financial situation?
6) Date a woman who does not understand your culture and your way of doing things?
7) Make serious plans to marry with someone you have only seen for less than 3 months and you don't really know their friends or their history?
Now all that said, there are some stories here that end happily but too many that don't end well for the man. So men the old saying is correct KEEP YOUR EYES WIDE OPEN BEFORE MARRIAGE, and half-shut after.
If I were a man I would be looking for a well educated, English speaking Vietnamese woman my own age who has traveled to other cultures and is financially stable. I would date her for at least 2 years so you can know all her tricks.I would also be very interested in knowing who her friends are and if her friends are only married to expats (possible sign of trouble) I would NEVER give her any money or expensive gifts. I would share the cost of dates half and half to test her to see if she is looking for a sucker. (Got to normal places to eat if going half and half not expat priced places) As hard as it is to do, delay sex for those first 3 months so that way you can think with your brain.
Bet you money she dumps you after a few months to look for another sucker. If so then aren't you lucky because you were not a sucker. And if she hags in there and goes the distance than aren't you lucky because you found a gem.
Remember if it is too good to be true than it is really not true. Anyone can fake it for a short time! The true heart is revealed over time. But most of all use the same dating criteria you would use in your home country after all a woman is a woman. (And I am a woman so I know this very well even though sometimes guys catch Asian fever and say "Oh she is so cute, she is perfect, she is blah blah blah". Seriously some women can pretend very well but I am assuming you really want a true wife so hang on until she is tired of pretending and reveals her true self to you. And if she does not change then you know you found the gem.
By the way know that any time you have sex you may be tricked into fathering a child. Also if you use a condom wrap it up and take it with you so the girl can not self inseminate. One of my friends swears he always used condom and it did not break but then the girl got pregnant and now he has to pay! He was not careful with disposing of condom and would leave it at her place or in bin at hotel. Be careful.
The other thing one of my friends said to mention is that for those of you who don't like fat girls and think a Vietnamese skinny is the answer many of these woman gain weight rapidly when they are in a different food culture, example move to the USA and stop eating Asian food. So if the weight is important then you should write that into your prenuptial agreement and make it clear to the girl. The guy who told me had a wife who was skinny when they married and then 3 years later was quite large. He still loved her so he wasn't a pig just thought she would always be skinny.
Ok good luck to everyone. I do think there are some nice people in Vietnam and I hope all of you find whatever it is you are looking for.
Cheers